Chronic Fatigue Chiropractic
Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or CFS, find themselves in a state of perpetual exhaustion that no amount of bed rest can cure. Until recently, the medical community dismissed the disorder because it is not visible on diagnostic tests. However, for sufferers of this debilitating, chronic condition, CFS is very real.
Chronic Fatigue Symptoms
Each patient’s experience with CFS is slightly different, but common symptoms generally include:
- Mental and physical exhaustion
- Swollen lymph nodes and sore throat
- Difficulty thinking and concentrating
- Aching joints and muscles
- Headache pain
- Malaise following any kind of exertion
Some CFS patients report a number of other individualized symptoms including sensitivity to light, muscle weakness and night sweats.
Vertebral Subluxations May Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The nervous system is responsible for providing energy by delivering impulses that travel from the brain, down the spinal cord, and which then branch out to all points of the body through a dense network of nerves. The spinal column is designed to protect the spinal cord but sometimes a vertebra can become misaligned and pinch the nerves, blocking their energy impulses. The result is physical and mental fatigue. Chiropractors call these spinal mislalignments “vertebral subluxations.”
Chiropractic Care Alleviates Chronic Fatigue
CFS patients often waste valuable time in the medical system. In order for a medical doctor to confirm a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, the patient has to exhibit symptoms for at least six months. Meanwhile, the disorder can take hold and become entrenched. At that point, medication may be prescribed to mask some of the symptoms, but there is no medical treatment for the underlying cause of CFS.
You do not have to suffer for 6 months before you receive care for your condition. Doctors of chiropractic are specialists of the spine and nervous system, and they understand that neurological dysfunction usually begins in the spine. Chiropractic care is non-invasive and does not involve medication. By realigning the spine with gentle maneuvers known as adjustments, chiropractors correct the underlying cause of chronic fatigue syndrome and reopen the energy pathways within your nervous system.
A Program For Overcoming CFS
CFS undermines quality of life, but it also instills a feeling of helplessness, especially when it persists for years. Where appropriate, your chiropractor will advise lifestyle changes and nutritional improvement. A program of gentle exercise will be tailored to your specific situation, which will help to gradually increase your energy levels. Here are some steps that will allow you to take charge of your health and regain a sense of control:
- Improve nutrition
- Detoxify heavy metals
- Eventually discontinue medications
- Practice stress reduction techniques
- Get adequate sleep
- Receive regular chiropractic care
