This section for spiritual treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome comprises energetically oriented treatments that have to do with intention, energy healing, prayer, and in some cases god. These terms may be volatile for certain people, and for others they resonate. Some of these treatments have proven to be profoundly healing for chronic fatigue. Though some people are skeptical, prior notions of these words should be set aside when reading about these spiritual healing treatments, as many of the are truly incredible!
Many of the treatments that live in other sections on FoundHealth could easily live in this “Spirit” section as well. For example, Yoga, though a treatment that mostly involves the body, certainly has spiritual undertones and components to its practice. Meditation lives under the Mind category, but really is a blend of body, mind and a spiritual/energetic component as well. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda are examples of healing systems that have branches that span all six of foundhealth’s treatment categories, including spiritual components.
So take a look at which spirit treatments have been used for chronic fatigue syndrome, or add any that are missing!
Yoga can ABSOLUTELY help in treating chronic fatigue syndrome. Contrary to what it may seem, when someone feels extremely lethargic and doesn't want to move, doing moderate (and eventually more rigorous) exercise can actually help them to gain energy. Additionally, yoga helps teach people how to breathe in accordance with their bodies, and helps train the body to use its energy wisely. With consistent yoga practice, people can learn how to respect their bodies need for movement, and need for rest, and know when to give in to each of these options.
There are generally two categories of psychotherapies that may be prescribed for a depressed patient: Cognitive behavioral therapy and Psychoanalytic therapy. Also, there is supportive psychotherapy that can be more useful to severely depressed patients who may not be able to tolerate deeper forms of psychotherapy.
Since depression or other mood disorders are among the possible symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, psychotherapy could be extremely helpful in realizing the root cause of, and with work, might help cure the overall fatigue.
The medicines used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome are prescribed to treat specific symptoms. For example, certain antidepressant drugs might be prescribed to treat someone with CFS who also has depression. Similarly, someone with a chronic yeast infection (noted as a possible symptom of chronic fatigue) might be prescribed a drug to treat that infection.
It is important to note that while pharmaceutical treatments might help cure some of the symptoms of CFS (like the yeast infection example listed above), for others these drugs may only mask the symptoms and not treat the cause. (As is the case with depression, where it would be useful to identify the cause of the depression to cure it instead of merely masking the symptoms through medication.)
Though you may be able to find herbs at a local store and attempt to treat/supplement yourself, true medicinal herbs should be prescribed by someone with a deep knowledge of their powers. A Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner or an herbalist who has extensively studied the properties of all kinds of plants can offer the best information on what and how to take as well as where to procure your herbs.
The body can both cause and cure your symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. A body that is out-of-shape, disengaged and lethargic will keep you feeling sluggish and without energy.
On the contrary, a body that is active and functioning efficiently and properly is less likely to be fatigued.
At the same time, a body that is over-worked and without rest may also keep you feeling constantly tired.
This is all to say that there is no one answer to how much the body might cause CFS, nor exactly what regime one should follow to treat CFS. However, changing your pattern of lethargy or over-activity might be a good place to start: a happy body won't cause nearly as many problems as an unhappy one!
As with all health challenges, the mind plays an important role in the presence of and eventual treatment of the disease.
Never underestimate the power of the desire to treat your condition. Keeping a positive attitude and trying different treatments is what it takes!
Chemicals can be extremely useful substances in our daily lives, but are also extremely toxic. Continual exposure, even in very small doses, to chemicals might well contribute, if not wholly cause the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
There are innumerable ways in which you may be over-exposed to chemicals in the environment, but some common examples include:
One study evaluated people with chronic fatigue syndrome who believed that certain chemical triggers affected their mental function, causing mental sluggishness and confusion.30 The results showed decreased mental function on testing following exposure to supposed chemical triggers; however, the decrease was the same with the placebo group. This may note that the belief of the presence of that chemical is what produced the symptoms. Regardless, reducing or eliminating exposure to chemicals, would still eliminate the problem.
People with chronic fatigue syndrome may at times attribute their symptoms to chemical exposures, thereby relating chronic fatigue syndrome to another loosely defined condition known as multiple chemical sensitivities, or MCS.
Sometimes, chronic fatigue can be a result of continually eating the wrong foods. For someone with a food sensitivity, for example, continually consuming a certain food substance might cause the person to experience the symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, it has been found that some people who experience CFS have low blood pressure (which might explain their fatigue). Eating a well-balanced diet that can bring that blood pressure up within a normal range might also help to treat the symptoms of this condition.
In addition to those listed below, both beta-carotene and DHEA have been suggested as treatments for CFS, but the evidence that they work remains extremely preliminary at best.21,22,23
Also, a general multivitamin or multimineral supplement might be recommended as nutritional deficiencies might cause some, if not all of the symptoms of chronic fatigue.
Melatonin might also be recommended for the treatment of CFS.
Eleutherococcus senticosus, sometimes called "siberian ginsing" (though there is question as to whether or not these are the same substance) is an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a substance that helps the body adapt to stresses of various kinds, whether heat, cold, exertion, trauma, sleep deprivation, toxic exposure, radiation, infection, or psychological... They do this by "normalizing" the body's processes - sometimes they act by calming the activity of systems that are exaggerated in the body, and sometimes they strengthen systems that are sluggish.
A fairly substantial (96-participant) double-blind, placebo-controlled study failed to find Eleutherococcus senticosus("Siberian ginseng") helpful for people with CFS.28 Over the 2-month study period, both eleutherococcus and placebo reduced fatigue symptoms, but there was no statistically significant difference. (The researchers managed to find some benefit by resorting to statistically questionable after-the-fact procedures.)
Sometimes, chronic fatigue can be a result of continually eating the wrong foods. For someone with a food sensitivity, for example, continually consuming a certain food substance might cause the person to experience the symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, it has been found that some people who experience CFS have low blood pressure (which might explain their fatigue). Eating a well-balanced diet that can bring that blood pressure up within a normal range might also help to treat the symptoms of this condition.
In addition to those listed below, both beta-carotene and DHEA have been suggested as treatments for CFS, but the evidence that they work remains extremely preliminary at best.21,22,23
Also, a general multivitamin or multimineral supplement might be recommended as nutritional deficiencies might cause some, if not all of the symptoms of chronic fatigue.
Melatonin might also be recommended for the treatment of CFS.
Unfortunately, there is yet no evidence that it works for chronic fatigue syndrome, but this may be in part due to the fact that extensive research on licorice has not yet been conducted. However, other treatments to raise blood pressure have thus far proven to be ineffective for chronic fatigue syndrome.24
Based on the theory mentioned above that CFS might be related to low blood pressure, the herb licorice has been recommended for CFS by some herbalists. Licorice raises blood pressure (and causes other potentially harmful effects) when taken in high doses for a long time.
Licorice root has been used across many traditions as an herbal treatment for many different conditions. Some herbalists or Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners might recommend taking licorice root to treat chronic fatigue.
