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Our Fatigue Clinic
see also: www.chronicfatiguelondon.com
We offer you an integrated approach towards the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with chronic fatigue and exhaustion:
Fatigue symptoms treated at our clinic may include the following conditions:
• ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Post-viral syndrome
• Immune deficiency with chronic recurrent infections
• Multiple allergies, chemical and food intolerance
• Chronic neurological conditions (like Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neuron Disease)
• Burn out syndrome and mental exhaustion
• Malignant diseases with associated fatigue
Your GP and/or consultant may already have diagnosed your condition and extensive test may have already taken place.
You will have a medical assessment.
his includes an assessment of the evolution of your fatigue, a past medical and family history, social and occupational factors and your personal history.
A thorough examination will be carried out to assess your physical status, including heart, respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system and musculoskeletal system.
A panel of blood investigations will be carried out if you have not already had them. These will help to exclude other causes of fatigue such as anaemia, infection, kidney or liver failure, an under-active thyroid, diabetes, or Coeliac disease. In most cases, this assessment will be all that is required to come to a definitive diagnosis. In a minority of cases, further investigations (for example, CT or MRI scans) may be required exclude other disorders. In those cases we may refer you for these investigations refer you back to your GP or to a consultant.
SYMPTOMS
CFS/ME is defined as a condition that involves a severe fatigue that usually has a clear starting point, often after a bout of illness, and that doesn't improve after rest. It makes you less able to cope with levels of activity in your work, school or social life that were previously normal for you. CFS/ME isn't the result of over-exercising. Even normal physical activity may make you feel very tired.
Common symptoms of CFS/ME include:
• muscle and joint pain, but with no swelling
• fatigue that lasts more than 24 hours after exercise or exertion at a level that you usually used to be able to manage without feeling tired
• forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, or difficulty concentrating
• sleep disturbances - waking up feeling tired or unrested or having trouble getting to sleep
• flu-like symptoms
Other symptoms that are sometimes present in CFS/ME include:
• palpitations
• sweating
• feeling faint or problems with balance
• painful glands in your neck or armpits
• a sore throat
• headaches
• feeling sick
• mood swings
(These symptoms may also caused by problems other than CFS/ME.)
CAUSES
The cause of CHRONIC FATIGUE is not known and there are no reliable tests available for a clear diagnosis, although the latest research/findings indicate, that bacteria and (especially) viruses play a major role.
There are some clear connections:
• GLANDULAR FEVER is triggered by the Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV)
• POST VIRAL SYNDROME ... the word explains it all
• some researchers believe to have found a connection to parasitic disorders (more research is necessary)
• In some reports Brucellosis, caused by the bacteria Brucella melitensis, was connected with Chronic Fatigue.
• The Journal of Clinical Virology reported a trial (25 patients) who were treated with valganciclovir, an antiviral drug often used in treating diseases caused by human herpes viruses (including cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr-Virus, and human herpes virus-6)The Enterovirus was found in many Chronic Fatigue sufferers. Enteroviruses are very common, second only to the common cold viruses as the most common viral infections in humans. Most people who are infected with an enterovirus have no symptoms at all.
Activities of "latent viruses" from the Herpesviridae family (Epstein-Barr-Virus, EBV, the cause of Glandaluar Fever and also CMV, Herpes Zoster, Herpes Simplex, Shingles) can cause severe health problems, which are difficult to identify and diagnose. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritability, Migraines, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Depression... just to mention a few. What happens in your body is a decline of immune responses - the immune system is overworked -which can lead to imbalances in your microbial community. Result: more and more health problems.
Other Causes:
• Blood pressure abnormalities
• An abnormal response from the central nervous system
TREATMENT
We use an unique approach of allopathic and complementary medicine, which also includes TRANSDERMAL SYSTEMIC LASER THERAPY, the only Fatigue-Laser-Unit in the UK!
to read more about fatigue laser therapy CLICK HERE
NEWS
A study published in Science found the retrovirus XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) in 67% of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). This virus belongs to the group of gamma-retroviruses and is thought to be transmitted by bodily fluids, but genes and other predisposing factors also play a role.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is very much related to other viruses as well:
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV-6)
And also:
enteroviruses (polioviruses, Coxsackie viruses, echoviruses)
parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV-5)
parvovirus B19
various retroviruses |
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