“I have no strength for anything, I always want to lie in bed. I can barely stay in the office until the end of the working day, I’m terribly tired, but I still have difficulty falling asleep...” “I can’t concentrate on anything, everything irritates me, I take it out on my loved ones... what’s wrong with me? Stress, depression, chronic fatigue?
Chronic fatigue syndrome
does not appear from overwork at work or stress. Despite the fact that previously it was not considered a separate diagnosis and was even called a “disease of the imagination,” it is now confirmed that we are talking about a heterogeneous disease associated with certain genetic changes. In this article especially for CogniFit (“CogniFit ” ), psychologist Natalia Stepanova will tell you what chronic fatigue syndrome is, what its signs and symptoms are, and also tell you how to overcome this disease.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome?
What is chronic fatigue syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome
(
CFS, fatigue syndrome after a viral illness, post-viral asthenia syndrome, immune dysfunction, benign myalgic encephalomyelitis) is a
disease whose leading symptom is prolonged fatigue and weakness.
This human condition is complemented by cognitive impairment, sleep problems and a number of other physiological symptoms, incl. skeletal and muscle pain. Feeling unwell lasts more than six months
and do not disappear after a long, and, at first glance, complete rest.
Who should I contact?
Since there are many symptoms, you need to choose a doctor carefully. Each specialist is responsible for specific problems:
- if you have insomnia, you need to go to a neurologist;
- for eczema - see a dermatologist;
- and in case of gastrointestinal disorders - to a gastroenterologist.
Treatment does not always lead to the desired result. Often, eliminating the symptoms of an identified illness does not relieve fatigue and high fever. Then you need an examination and consultation with a therapist who will determine a number of probable causes of fatigue.
Can the temperature rise due to fatigue in adults and children? This symptom is common. For a long time it remains at the level of 37-37.5 degrees. This confirms the weakening of the immune system, which leads to many unpleasant symptoms.
Many people experience drowsiness, which can progress to insomnia. The reasons for the appearance include a change in working hours, including time differences when changing place of residence and changing work schedules. Common symptoms include inattention and decreased performance. Changes in emotional state are likely - the appearance of depression, apathy, phobia.
In addition to fever and other symptoms, there may be a sudden weight loss, which amounts to 7-10 kg per month. Possible fear of light, dizziness, dry eye mucosa, enlarged lymph nodes. A symptom in women is considered to be severe PMS.
Signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
If you complain of sleep disturbances, memory loss, decreased concentration, if you feel inexplicable fatigue that does not go away with rest, if you begin to poorly absorb information and have problems in the sexual sphere, this may indicate the presence of chronic fatigue. It is poorly diagnosed, becoming global in modern society.
Physical and mental fatigue
Fatigue can be physical and mental.
Physical fatigue
- This is a normal human reaction to stress. It occurs due to the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle tissue and, as a result, a decrease in energy reserves. During rest, lactic acid is eliminated and energy reserves increase, because... the load goes away. If the load is constant, then the circulatory, respiratory and cardiovascular systems of the body do not have time to satisfy the body's need for oxygen, as a result of which fatigue accumulates.
Mental (mental fatigue
) occurs when one of the brain centers responsible for energy resources is overstrained. With such fatigue, memory and the ability to concentrate decrease, unmotivated irritation, anxiety, depression or apathy arise.
The famous Englishwoman, nurse Florence Nightingale, who became famous during the Crimean War, is considered the first victim of CFS. The history of her illness was recorded in writing. She selflessly cared for the sick, working 22 hours a day. All this led to a deterioration in the woman’s health. She suffered from insomnia, tachycardia and depression, but continued to work more than other sisters of mercy. She considered health “the cornerstone of happiness,” but continued to work even for 14 years without getting out of bed. Despite Florence's condition, doctors found no cause for concern.
The World Health Organization (WHO) still does not recognize it as a disease
chronic fatigue syndrome, and also does not include it in the register of officially defined diseases due to insufficient information about the exact mechanism of the disease and its prevention, the causative agent of the disease, changes in the organs and systems of the body.
Signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
Treatment
So how to get rid of depression and insomnia that accompanies this condition? What to do in these conditions? It is important to start treatment as early as possible because serious complications and severe deterioration in health may occur. If a person completely gets rid of all the symptoms of depression, then he automatically gets rid of insomnia
Many doctors recommend the use of complex therapeutic measures, because it is the complex treatment of insomnia with depression that can not only quickly eliminate all the symptoms of these conditions, but also improve the functioning of the nervous system. Drug therapy is usually used in conjunction with psychotherapy.
With proper treatment, joy in life and motivation for activity quickly returns
During therapeutic therapy, medications are prescribed - antidepressants, which normalize the balance in the brain. When using these drugs, the patient experiences the following positive changes:
- mood improves;
- the feeling of drowsiness disappears;
- the feeling of apathy disappears;
- joy returns;
- there is a desire to do something, motivation for activity.
Psychotherapy works at the level of perception. During psychotherapy sessions, the doctor helps the patient to identify the basis of all problems, their causes, and after that he helps to find a solution and change his attitude towards them. If psychotherapy is combined with drug treatment, both depression and sleep disorders can be quickly cured.
What drugs are prescribed
Often, together with antidepressants, many doctors prescribe the use of sleeping pills or sedatives. But before prescribing drugs, the doctor must conduct a thorough examination. For some patients, it will be enough to use medications with herbal composition, while others, on the contrary, will require stronger drugs that can be purchased at the pharmacy only upon presentation of a prescription.
During treatment, medications of the following groups are prescribed:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - Prozac, Paxil;
- Tricyclic antidepressants – Amitriptyline;
- Sedatives – Trazodone;
- If insomnia is present, sleeping pills are additionally prescribed - Sonata, Lunesta, Ambien and others.
Under no circumstances should you choose sedatives or sleeping pills on your own; you must first be examined by a doctor. The wrong choice of drugs, instead of improvement, can, on the contrary, cause serious harm and worsen the condition. You are only allowed to use products based on herbal ingredients on your own.
Additional recommendations
Before going to bed, you can listen to quiet soothing music
How else can you treat insomnia with depression? In order for basic treatment therapy to be effective, doctors advise following certain rules:
- When you go to bed, you need to completely escape from all problems, failures, and worries. To do this, you can read an interesting book, listen to quiet, soothing music, or meditate;
- You should exercise daily. To do this, you can jog or do a short set of exercises in the morning or before lunch. Exercise fills the body with energy and normalizes the nervous system. The main thing is not to do exercises before bed, otherwise you can get a boost of energy and it will be quite difficult to fall asleep;
- It is advisable for patients who suffer from insomnia to learn yoga and other methods of meditation and relaxation. The easiest way to relax is the abdominal breathing technique;
- You should not drink tea, coffee, or alcoholic beverages a couple of hours before bedtime. Smoking is not recommended, as caffeine and nicotine have a stimulating effect on the nervous system;
- If sleep does not come for a long time, you should not torture yourself, because it will not help. In these cases, you can get up and do what you love, and when you feel tired, you can go to bed;
- Before going to bed, you can take a warm shower or bath. These procedures will help you relax and fall asleep faster;
- Be sure to constantly ventilate the room and maintain an optimal level of humidity;
- You need to train yourself to go to bed at the same time - this will help you develop a routine.
If you correctly follow all the recommendations and rules of therapeutic therapy, you can quickly get rid of all the symptoms of depression and insomnia. The main thing is not to delay treatment, otherwise serious problems with the activity of other internal systems may appear. It is imperative that you undergo an examination by a doctor as soon as possible and begin the necessary medical therapy.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue
CFS leads to a significant drop in previously achieved levels of personal, social, educational and work activity.
The main feature
Chronic fatigue syndrome is
a decrease in the energy
required to maintain normal functioning, constant fatigue and increased fatigue.
Clinical manifestations
at the stages of asthenia development:
- causeless and frequent headaches;
- sleep and wakefulness disorders - increased sleepiness during the daytime and insomnia at night, difficulty falling asleep;
- decreased performance (including the thyroid gland);
- bad mood for no reason, mood swings from apathy to aggression;
- unmotivated irritation;
- frequent infectious diseases and allergic reactions;
- deterioration of memory and ability to concentrate;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- pharyngitis;
- muscle pain;
- periodic occurrence of fear, panic;
- the appearance of forgetfulness and absent-mindedness.
Against this background, people may begin to take sleeping pills and psychostimulants unreasonably. Smoking heavily and drinking alcohol to reduce neuropsychic agitation. Find out how alcohol affects the brain.
Most people lose weight, but, for example, financially secure people with an inactive lifestyle exhibit obesity, apathy, and emotional depression. Those most susceptible to CFS are those whose work involves constant stress. CFS can make them 50-80% disabled.
Diagnosing CFS is very difficult
o – even the biochemical blood test does not differ from the norm.
A tomographic examination of the brain can reveal a decrease in activity in one of its temporal lobes
. This explains the decline in memory and ability to concentrate.
It is difficult for doctors to determine whether a patient is sick or feigning illness. It is believed that to determine the diagnosis of CFS, one major symptom and several minor ones are desirable. Firstly, it is prolonged fatigue and a significant decrease in motor activity (more than 50%). And minor ones - depression, fever, muscle discomfort, memory loss, joint pain, soreness of the lymph nodes.
Do you suspect yourself or someone close to you has signs of insomnia? Take the innovative CogniFit neuropsychological test for insomnia and find out in less than 30-40 minutes whether you have cognitive symptoms that may indicate a sleep disorder. Receive a detailed report in pdf format with personal recommendations!
Find out if there are signs that may indicate insomnia
Sleeping pillows
Herbal pillows will help you fall asleep quickly. It's very easy to make them yourself. For this we will need: leaves of male fern, bay laurel, hazel (hazel), immortelle flowers, pine needles, hop cones, mint herbs, geranium, oregano, rose petals.
They must be dried very quickly, avoiding overdrying, and stored in sealed plastic bags until needed.
For stuffing pillows, the following are best suited: laurel + fern (1:1); laurel+fern+hops (1:2:3); fern+hops+laurel+mint (2:2:2:1).
To scent the air in the bedroom, small herbal pillows can be placed on the radiator.
How does chronic fatigue syndrome develop?
There are 3 stages of development of chronic fatigue syndrome
1. Your condition is similar to the symptoms of a cold.
2. Inexplicable pain in muscles and joints (arthralgia) appears, sleep deteriorates.
3. Mental state is disturbed: anxiety, apathy, mood swings.
During illness, the desire to do anything disappears, mental activity and concentration decrease.
There are colds, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness during the day, prolonged low temperature, increased sweating at night, irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea), inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis), and a tendency to faint.
After 6 months, sensitivity to bright light increases, fatigue progresses, lymph nodes in the neck and armpits become inflamed, and sexual desire decreases.
Chronic diseases may worsen, stomach disorders, and hair loss may occur.
Immunity deteriorates, hormonal levels change, which leads to premature aging of the body.
Baths for insomnia
Taking warm baths is very good for sound and restful sleep. The water temperature in the bath should not be higher than 37-38°C. You should take a bath either before meals or 1.5-2 hours after meals. The time spent in the bath should not exceed 20-25 minutes.
It is better if the water does not cover the heart area. You should not take baths every day.
Warm sleep-inducing baths with the addition of essential oils are very effective: 5 drops of mint, 2 drops of chamomile and 2 drops of orange.
To soothe your bath, you can use fragrant plants that promote good sleep. Sometimes it is enough to take several baths with calendula flowers, string herbs, mint, oregano, and sleep will return to normal. Taking pine baths also works well.
Recipe: Infuse 50 grams of fir cones or needles or 50 grams of calendula, mint and oregano flowers in 3 liters of boiling water, then strain and pour into a bath of lukewarm water (34-35°C). You need to take this bath before bed for 10 minutes 3 times a week, a course of 5-7 times.
Hot foot baths at night also relieve fatigue, calm the nervous system, and improve sleep.
Baths with valerian decoction are good for calming the heart and nervous system. They reduce excitation of the spinal cord and are especially recommended for “nervous” insomnia.
After a bath, there is no need to rub your body so as not to cause excitement; it is much better to simply wrap yourself in a warm, soft towel; it is also recommended to go to bed immediately after taking a bath.
Important! If you are very sleepy and tired, then under no circumstances take a bath, as you may fall asleep in it, and no one knows how it will all end.
Viral theory of chronic fatigue syndrome
The most convincing remains the infectious or viral hypothesis
CFS. It is believed that viruses can go from a latent state to an active one, and after recovery, a relapse can occur at any time.
Often the disease begins in a person who has had the flu, a cold or severe emotional shock. It begins suddenly, the symptoms resemble the flu, the temperature rises, weakness, the throat may hurt, and the lymph nodes become enlarged.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome may resemble the flu
When the provoking condition passes, exhaustion sets in. This feeling is accompanied by causeless headaches, dizziness, increased irritability, fatigue, absent-mindedness, loss of ability to work, and malaise.
Short-term memory and concentration deteriorate. In addition, rapid heartbeat, rashes, increased sensitivity, weight loss, sweating, and hair loss may occur.
The head hurts, the throat and joints continue to hurt, possible fever, low-grade fever, pain in the muscles and joints, in the area of the cervical lymph nodes. It seems that the illness has dragged on. All symptoms, as mentioned above, can recur or last for 6 months or more, but such patients, as a rule, do not go to doctors.
Over time, insomnia sets in, fatigue intensifies pain, and confusion appears. Some patients adapt to this condition and lead a normal lifestyle, while others cannot work and require care, and a depressive mood appears. Those suffering from this syndrome exhibit immune disorders, including allergies. Some scientists believe that CFS is a possible reaction to an unidentified allergen.
It is known that patients with CFS often have a history of various
allergic
reactions. Also, some experts talk about a “failure” in the system – autoimmune disorders.
Why does fatigue occur?
Signs of overwork appear in every person at a specific stage. This is usually observed due to overload of the body, with a lack of time to rest. This often happens when:
- heavy workload;
- worries before exams;
- physical and psycho-emotional stress when performing everyday activities.
A person can independently determine why and when overwork appeared by analyzing his own lifestyle. After eliminating the cause that takes away the body’s strength, over time it will be possible to return to normal life.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and depression
Some researchers consider CFS to be a consequence of a hidden psychological pathology - atypical depression
.
CFS is similar to depression, but is not it
.
Doctors often mistake this disease for depression and treat it with psychotherapy and depressants. Others may consider people with CFS to be lazy, whiners
, and asking for pity.
Stress leads to a decrease in immunity; accordingly, the body is more accessible to infections, sensitivity to allergens increases, adaptation mechanisms deteriorate - all this leads to CFS. Many scientific studies have proven that this is a somatic disease
, leading to professional, social and individual maladjustment of patients.
Do you suspect yourself or someone close to you is suffering from depression? if you have warning signs and symptoms that may indicate this disorder with the innovative CogniFit neuropsychological test for depression Receive a detailed report with recommendations in less than 30-40 minutes.
Innovative neuropsychological test CogniFit (“CogniFit”) for depression
Giving help
Can a child's temperature rise due to fatigue? Yes, sure. What to do in this case? First you need to reduce physical and psychological stress. It is advisable to reduce the amount of work by 20%. It is necessary to reduce or temporarily eliminate the influence of provoking factors that lead to fatigue and increased temperature.
For some people, treatment is difficult, so it is advisable to attend special trainings and seminars conducted by qualified psychologists and leading medical specialists. A person needs to adhere to a gentle regime and accurately determine whether he will be able to do the planned tasks.
Psychotherapy is required to compare the level of workload and strength of a person in order to correctly distribute work and rest time. It is advisable to perform leisurely physical exercises that will allow you to relax and relieve nervous tension.
The daily routine is important: you need to set aside time for sleep and rest, as well as work. You need to spend time:
- walks in the fresh air;
- moderate exercise;
- water procedures.
Exercises are necessary during treatment. The frequency of execution should be increased depending on the condition. A good mood is also important. But each person has their own sources of positive emotions.
Medicines are effective, including plants that increase stress resistance. This applies to chamomile, licorice root, and sorrel. The patient needs a complete and healthy diet, inclusion in the menu of foods that increase immunity and replenish physical strength. It is necessary to drink more fluids, but exclude alcohol, tobacco, caffeine and foods with sucrose.
Diagnostics
The main method for diagnosing insomnia is collecting anamnesis and analyzing patient complaints. During the interview, the doctor evaluates 4 criteria:
- Sleep hygiene. Assessing the patient's habits, environmental quality and other external factors affecting the quality of rest.
- Cognitive tests. The doctor evaluates the patient's concentration, memory, coordination, ability to reason, and process information. Violation of any of these functions indicates sleep deficiency.
- Actual symptoms. This includes patient complaints of loud snoring, inability to sleep, frequent awakenings, nervousness, tension when thinking about rest, breathing problems, and pulse problems during sleep.
- Associated symptoms. Headache, decreased potency, digestive disorders, irritability and similar symptoms that accompany the pathology are its signs.
Once a preliminary diagnosis has been made, it is confirmed through clinical examinations. Basic examination methods for suspected insomnia:
- computer pulse oximetry;
- respiration monitoring;
- 24-hour Holter ECG;
- polysomnography;
- cardiorespiratory examination;
- diagnosis of snoring;
- electroencephalography;
- wrist actograph examination;
- analysis for obstructive apnea;
- examination for restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements.
Tests provide detailed information about breathing, pulse, and oxygen levels in the blood during sleep. They allow you to accurately determine the cause, severity, and severity of the patient’s condition.
Sleep functions
Proper sleep is necessary for all people so that the brain can process the information accumulated during the day and begin new tasks in the morning. Insomnia often occurs due to emotional fatigue. A brain that has not rested overnight is not able to overcome many impulses and polish the given days, which leads to drowsiness.
Can your temperature rise due to fatigue and lack of sleep? This is a common occurrence, so it is important to ensure quality rest. For this you need a suitable sleeping place. Before going to bed, you need to ventilate the room. Bed linen must be changed regularly.
