Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Achiness and Headache are Common Symptoms
You experience constant fatigue, and sleep just doesn’t refresh you. Your muscles and joints ache, and you may have a headache, sore throat, decreased appetite or impaired concentration. If this describes you, consult your primary health practitioner. You may be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Many people experience fatigue in daily life. In most cases of fatigue, a treatable physical or psychological condition is the cause. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a less common cause of fatigue and while there is no known cure, many people who have it do get better.
Although CFS occurs in both sexes and in all age groups, it most often affects Caucasian females between the ages of 20 and 50. The cause and development of CFS remains largely unknown. Some clinicians believe Chronic Fatigue is linked to depression. Research, however, has shown that CFS is in fact quite different. People with CFS lack the common depressive symptoms of low motivation and the inability to feel pleasure, and they suffer from additional physical complaints uncommonly seen with depression.
<< Return to NewsletterMassage Therapy for CFS
Enhances Restful Sleep, Improves Mood
Therapeutic massage cannot cure CFS, but it can help reduce pain, improve your mood and energy, and enhance restful sleep. According to the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, "following 10 days of massage therapy, fatigue-related symptoms (particularly anxiety) were reduced, as were depression, difficulty sleeping and pain. The stress hormone cortisol also decreased and dopamine increased." Dopamine is a chemical messenger of the brain that affects movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain.
Massage for someone with CFS is usually gentle with the goal of relaxation and reducing stress and pain. Therapists often keep sessions to 1/2 hour to avoid increasing fatigue.
To reinforce the benefits of massage, decrease alcohol consumption, develop a gentle exercise routine, prioritize restorative sleep, and take small steps to improve your overall nutrition.
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