After Rhonda received the diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from her doctor, she set up another appointment several weeks later to discuss treatment options. Between appointments, Rhonda kept a daily log of times she felt like she had energy and times she felt she had the least energy along with a journal keeping track of stresses. This would enable her and her doctor to find the optimum times during her day to get things accomplished, and it would help her to see how her stresses affected her energy. When Rhonda did see the doctor again, they discussed medicine to help her with her symptoms.
Side Effects for Medicines Helping with Managing Symptoms
Rhonda was shocked to see the side effects she would have to deal with-especially considering that all of the medicines could only help manage her symptoms. Some of the side effects they discussed were fatigue, depression, dizziness, impotence, and liver damage. Rhonda asked her doctor if there were more natural treatments, and he went through these with her.
Natural Treatment: Ginseng
A recent survey conducted through the University of Iowa found that the herb ginseng was one of the more helpful treatments in improving persistent fatigue, and fifty-six percent of the 155 people in the study found it to be effective. However, in another double-blind, placebo-controlled study with ninety-six people, researchers found that ginseng was not more effective than the placebo at reducing fatigue.
Natural Treatment: D-ribose
This form of sugar is essential for energy in the cells. Some scientists believe that CFS can result from fault cellular metabolism, the way the cells do their work. Research has shown some promising results in D-ribose supplements in especially improving energy levels and overall well-being.
Natural Treatment: Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been found effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia, a condition similar to CFS and also characterized by muscle soreness and fatigue. There was a recent control-group study done on the benefits of acupuncture. Half the participants received acupuncture, while half received a placebo. Those who received acupuncture showed significant improvement with fatigue and anxiety compared to the placebo group.
Natural Treatments can be Very Effective in Managing Chronic Fatigue
Rhonda and her doctor discussed each of the treatments mentioned, and they came to the conclusion that they would try to manage her symptoms more naturally first. If those did not help, then they would look into using some of the prescriptions available. Rhonda and her doctor also discussed lifestyle measures that would help her also such as learning to reduce stress, getting enough sleep, exercising, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Learn more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome here.
