What could have caused my Chronic Fatigue?

It’s Complicated …..

When I was first diagnosed with CFS I too wondered what had caused my CFS as I was told the cause wasn’t known. When I started to investigate, there seemed to be quite a few differing views on what exactly is CFS and what causes it, so I decided to look at the Science and see what conclusions medical research was coming to.

The good news is that there’s been quite a bit of research undertaken over the last few years and the most recent findings are proposing that CFS is the result of a combination of factors rather than 1 specific cause, which makes sense to me.

Photo by howling red on Unsplash

What the research is saying

The research is saying that the following may play a part in triggering CFS symptoms in some people.

Genetics – Whilst no specific gene has been found, studies on twins and families has led researchers to believe that there may be a genetic predisposition to experiencing CFS.

Infections – Research has looked at infections such as Epstein bar acting a trigger, as people who have experienced a severe infection are more likely to experience CFS symptoms. The ME Association believe this is a key trigger for many people.

Changes or dysfunction in the immune system – Research is indicating that there is immune dysregulation in people with CFS most notably in Natural Killer (NK) cells. CFS sufferers have lower functioning Natural Killer cells, which makes it harder for the body to fight infections. It also found that people with lower NK cell function had more severe symptoms.

Allergies – recent studies have shown that people with CFS have a much higher propensity to allergies. These can cause fatigue which impacts NK cell function and can initiate inflammation, resulting in some of the symptoms experienced.

Stress – This really plays a part in CFS, as we all live busy and more stressful lives. When we are chronically stressed, due to trauma or over work, our adrenal glands continue to produce cortisol (sometimes known as the stress hormone) at the expense of other hormones. This causes an imbalance in our system, which in turn affects the proper functioning of other systems such as the digestive and immune systems and can result in CFS symptoms such as digestive disturbance, low energy levels and inflammation. In women it can also cause problems with the menstrual cycle. Prior to my diagnosis, I was under a lot of pressure at work and in my family life, basically trying to do too much, which I think was a trigger to my CFS.

Physical and Emotional Trauma – It is thought that shock may disrupt our immune, hormonal and nervous systems which in turn reactivates old viruses, normally kept under control by our immune system, resulting in CFS symptoms. Things like losing your job or a significant bereavement can be a trigger and I believe that the death of my father played its part in triggering my CFS.

Gut problems – As we’ve said, stress can really affect the proper functioning of the digestive system and IBS symptoms are often a factor in CFS, indicating that there are disturbances in the gut microbiota.

All our body systems are linked and recent research has identified that the gut plays a key role in our immune function, so imbalances in the gut could impact our immune system.

Research has also identified that people with CFS have an increased number of pro inflammatory bacteria and less anti- inflammatory bacteria, when compared to the normal population, which may explain some of the CFS symptoms that are caused by inflammation in the body like headaches, aches and pains.

So it’s not just one thing:

The most recent research is indicating that there is no one cause for CFS. Things like allergies, genetics and stress may cause susceptibility for the disease, which is then triggered by an event such as trauma, long term stress or a virus. As we are all unique, the reason for experiencing CFS will be different for each person.

There’s a lot going on, how do you help support recovery?

I used a Naturopathic approach to my recovery which focuses on treating the whole person and the underlying cause and not just the symptoms of the illness.

What’s important is that you will receive individual treatment and care tailored to your needs.

How do you treat CFS?

With so much going on, it is important to take things step by step, so as not to over burden the body with too much change at once. As well as treating the underlying cause, the approach will be to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, improve digestion, reduce inflammation and support the immune system.

A naturopathic approach will aim to support recovery by using a combination of diet adaptations, herbal medicine, vitamin and mineral supplements, mindfulness practice and other relaxation techniques and flower remedies. All of these approaches will be tailored to your specific needs.

For more information on how a naturopathic approach could help you, check out my blog - 4 Reasons why a natural approach can support recovery from CFS.

I’ve been there and help is at hand …

CFS can leave you feeling lonely and fearful for the future as recovery is gradual. I know how that can feel, as I experienced Chronic Fatigue and managed my recovery following a naturopathic approach and it really worked for me.

Learning from my experience, I now help and support people to manage their own recovery back to being you again, through nourishing the body and mind using food, mindfulness practices and natural herbal medicine and minerals and vitamins.

 

A free resource to help you on your recovery journey

To help people just starting their CFS recovery journey, I have produced a FREE 10 page guide to ‘Reclaiming your natural energetic high without spending a fortune on costly supplements’.

Here I will guide you through 7 easy to do and lower cost ways you can kick start your recovery from CFS.

Download your guide to help you begin the process of feeling like YOU once again.

 

Don’t suffer in silence, get in touch to see how I may be able to help you

If you would like to start the journey back to feeling normal again and not just putting up with or managing your symptoms, get in touch to learn more about how I can help you.

 

Want to learn more ….

If you found this article useful and want to learn more about the CFS recovery process, free articles and webinars that can support your recovery journey, why not sign up to my mailing list?