health

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome is usually multifaceted, consisting
of recommendations about regular exercise and the importance
of a nourishing diet, together with regular sleeping habits. About 70 percent
of patients with CFS reported that they felt better after completing
an exercise program that was designed to keep them active without
making their fatigue worse. Antidepressant medications may be given
to treat the depression, along with medications to treat the patient’s allergies.
Patients can also take non-aspirin pain relievers like acetaminophen
or ibuprofen to relieve headaches or pain in the muscles and joints. There
is, however, no single treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome that helps
all patients who try it. What works best for most people is drawing up a
personalized treatment plan together with their doctor.
Psychotherapy is recommended to help CFS patients cope more
effectively with stress and to improve their chances of returning to fulltime
work. The type of psychotherapy that has been found to be most
useful for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome is cognitive behavioral
therapy or CBT. In this form of therapy, patients learn to identify negative
thoughts and behaviors that can complicate getting better, and to
replace them with positive attitudes. In addition to CBT, support groups
are helpful to many patients in learning to cope with the symptoms of
the disease and its impact on their lives.
Some alternative and complementary therapies have been found to be
effective in relieving the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. These
include gentle forms of physical exercise like yoga and t’ai chi as well as meditation,
relaxation techniques, deep breathing exercises, and acupuncture.