The Best Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Doctors Share These 6 Traits

You’ve tried everything for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) including mega doses of caffeine; antidepressants and other medications; cognitive-behavioral therapy; aerobic exercise; and lord knows, plenty of bed rest.

Yet nothing seems to relieve the CFS symptoms that are challenging and frustrating to cope with. No matter what you try, extreme tiredness, brain fog, and symptoms seemingly unrelated to fatigue such as muscle pain, are a daily struggle.

You know that CFS is not all in your head. Yet as a 2015 report published by the American College of Physicians states, “Many doctors mistakenly believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is a psychological problem.”

Unfortunately, nearly a decade after that report was published, some conventional doctors continue to believe that if there’s no physical evidence to corroborate its existence, then CFS is not a true illness.

Alternatives For Managing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

But there is light at the end of the tunnel if you’re suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Innovative Medicine, a new paradigm of integrative healing that combines the best treatments of Western and alternative/complementary modalities, offers several types of therapies, services, and educational resources for CFS.

If you’re looking for an experienced, compassionate Chronic Fatigue Syndrome doctor, we’ve put together a list of these 6 best practices to look for.

#1: Provide Emotional Support

For starters, a medical practitioner who can help you overcome your CFS symptoms will not tell you that it’s all in your head or tell you euphemistically that you’re a hypochondriac. A kind, caring medical professional also won’t tell you that there is no cure for CFS.

Rather, a good CFS doctor will fill you with encouragement and positivity and will use the dozens of alternative therapies that have been shown to mitigate the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Personalized, empathetic care is critical for overcoming CFS. Innovative Medicine practitioners check their ego at the door and realize that much remains to be learned about this multi-systemic condition.

#2: Offer Nutritional & Supplement Therapy

If you have CFS, there is a good chance that you’re lacking critical nutrients, antioxidants, and other compounds that may help restore homeostasis. One example of nutrient/supplement therapy offered by Innovative Medicine is NAD/Brain Restoration Plus.

This alternative treatment for CFS uses an enzyme that’s found in all living cells: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD plays a crucial role in the chemical process that generates energy, especially in the brain. NAD/Brain Restoration may help improve the communication of chemical messengers in the brain (neurotransmitters), thus improving cognitive functioning.

In addition, the best doctors for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may also offer supplements that encourage calmness, relaxation, and more restful sleep. These supplements include 5HTP, GABA (a neurotransmitter that is also available in supplement form) and L-theanine.

#3: Rebalance Hormones

It probably comes as no shock that if you have debilitating tiredness and other CFS symptoms, then you likely have low levels of certain hormones or an imbalance. Thus, a good CFS doctor will administer saliva or blood tests to assess hormone levels, including sex hormones.

Many people with CFS have hypothyroidism (an underperforming thyroid gland). Getting the thyroid gland to perform at its optimal levels is one key component that the best CFS doctors use to help patients overcome this puzzling disorder.

#4: Help Clear Infections

It is virtually impossible to overcome CFS unless underlying infections are cleared, be they active or latent. Skilled practitioners know how to help patients clear opportunistic pathogenic bacteria such as Candida albicans from the gut.

This is such a vital piece of the puzzle in addressing CFS symptoms. According to research in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, patients with CFS are more likely to report a previous diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other digestive problems.

In addition, the best doctors for treating CFS understand that one root cause of the disorder may be Epstein-Barr Virus. EBV has been estimated to have infected 90% of the world’s population, according to a Brazilian hematology journal. In some people, EBV does not manifest symptomatically. However, for some people with compromised immune systems or systemic inflammation, EBV may contribute to CFS. The best Chronic Fatigue Syndrome doctors will help patients re-establish homeostasis so that EBV, if present, remains dormant.

#5: Prescribe Corrective Lifestyle Recommendations

Exercise should be treated like the proverb, “One man’s food is another man’s poison.” In other words, getting vigorous aerobic exercise may foster health in one individual but may be too taxing for someone else. A good doctor for chronic fatigue understands that not everybody responds the same to physical activity.

In addition, a health professional should help guide patients on other lifestyle factors such as diet and stress management.

Obviously, addressing sleep habits is also a vital component. In addition to first ruling out sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, an Innovative Medicine practitioner will instruct patients on proper sleep hygiene practices such as limiting exposure to EMFs and blue light.

#6: Utilize Alternative Therapies

The best doctors for helping manage CFS aren’t afraid to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks—provided that the alternative therapies have a track record of being safe and efficacious. At Innovative Medicine, a couple of examples of alternative therapies that may help with CFS include Ozone Therapy and AmpCoil.

Here’s how Ozone Therapy works: Ozone is the sweet, clean, earthy-scented element that you can smell after a lightning storm. Being struck by lightning is bad but being exposed to ozone may help restore homeostasis in different organs. An infusion of ozone increases oxygen levels. This, in turn, may support organ function, cellular energy, and many other functions.

As for AmpCoil, this system is a non-invasive sound therapy technique that combines the dual power of biofeedback sensors and an electromagnetic coil. Although it may sound very New Agey, there are preliminary studies that support sound frequency therapy (such as this one).

Innovative Medicine practitioners realize that complex medical problems require a holistic, multi-faceted approach. If you’re new to CFS and its symptoms, below you will find general information.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a recognized medical disorder known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis. ME/CFS is often debilitating.

According to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report via the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), an estimated 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans suffer from ME/CFS.

But most people with the condition have never received an official diagnosis. Lasting several months or longer, the symptoms of CFS are not limited to extreme tiredness; many body systems are affected.

People with ME/CFS often have to spend a long time in bed with severe fatigue. The disorder causes a vicious cycle because it typically presents with sleep problems such as insomnia. Thus, patients with ME/CFS rarely feel refreshed from sleep. Adding to the problem, the condition may worsen after exercise or attempting to perform simple chores such as house cleaning. This CFS symptom is called post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Symptoms of CFS

The most common symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include:

• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Flu-like symptoms such as sore throat.
• Fibromyalgia
• Orthostatic Intolerance (A difficulty remaining in an upright position due to a compromised autonomic nervous system. May result in nausea or dizziness.)

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an alternative healthcare provider that will provide compassionate, holistic care, Innovative Medicine may help. Help and support are only a click away. A CFS diagnosis does not have to be a lifetime, debilitating sentence. Extreme tiredness doesn’t have to rule your life. You can get your high quality of life back.