This article addresses the pitfalls that people often experience whilst searching for a cure for ME, CFS, Fibromyalgia and fatigue-related conditions, and provides a more helpful angle to starting a recovery process.
Despite best intentions of professionals in the field, explanations for the fatigue and ME symptoms experienced offers very limited insights and subsequently credible ideas of how to approach ME treatment. Whilst the research in to the causes of ME, CFS, Fibromyalgia and other fatigue-related conditions continues, it is evident from patients histories just how varied their backgrounds as well as their ME symptoms are, a fact that has long baffled healthcare professionals in both allopathic and complimentary fields. Even though there is a very fine line between the definitions of ME and CFS, and indeed due to the abstract nature of these illnesses definitions are often interchangeable, some believe that in the case of CFS, debilitating fatigue is the overriding symptom present, whilst cognitive dysfunction and impaired memory may be common ME symptoms. Fibromyalgia on the other hand tends to present with severe muscle pain.
Given that there is not a single cause or factor leading to the condition, one ME treatment approach is clearly a far-fetched dream. For some the underlying factors may have tended to be more physical or perhaps viral in nature, whilst for others trauma may be overloading the bodies’ base line of energy and resources, whilst for others still, behaviour patterns such as perfectionism may contribute greatly. In the case of Fibromyalgia for example, very often a strong emotional component is evident.
With the broad scale of underlying factors and ME symptoms evident, I suggest in-depth analysis of the underlying factors that were present prior to the onset of the illness and fatigue. This is more than likely to reveal a history of high physical, psychological, behavioural and emotional demand on the bodily systems. The combination of factors will differ from person to person often quite significantly, but when one views these illnesses as a process of mind and body burnout, mostly a very clear picture can be seen.
A more helpful way of looking at finding a pathway through these illnesses is to focus on the question of why the body is not responding to its’ innate healing instinct, rather than on the symptoms themselves. This leads us to noting that in most cases with these conditions, sufferers’ immune systems will appear suppressed. Other systems, such as the digestive and endocrine systems will similarly present as malfunctioning. Suppression of these systems are classic symptoms of the body being in a stress state for a prolonged period of time, a state that becomes ‘stuck’ or what is known as the maladaptive stress response. Whilst in this state, the body is unable to activate the ‘healing’ response and successful ME treatment very limited.
I suggest that a good place to start, is to build a picture of the different factors that were draining the bodies’ resources prior to the onset of the illness. This awareness will prove invaluable in unravelling and reversing the condition.
Becoming aware of how the stress response operates and how individuals can intervene to retrain the response to return to normal function is key to recovery. This can then lead to a normalisation of the bodily systems, importantly the immune and digestive systems. Once there is more of a stable base line, deeper work can then begin on addressing underlying factors, be they behavioural, trauma, physiological and/ or nutritional. To this end I along with my colleague Sarah Marshall have developed the Quartz process; a process which helps to identify and work on the underlying factors.
To receive your free eBook and other free helpful resources to support recovery from ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome visit www.youwellbeing.com
You Wellbeing is a specialist non-medical clinic in the fields of ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Co-founded by Ashley Meyer and his colleague Sarah Marshall, the clinic offers a range of integrated treatment options and resources to support peoples’ recovery from these debilitating conditions.
