Introduction
Conventional Medicine lacks tools to diagnose the etiology (cause) of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and offers symptomatic support for a complex and debilitating (disabling) condition affecting 2.5 million Americans. A case series of 3 patients suffering from chronic fatigue is discussed with a focus on identification and treatment of the root causes.
First Step
The first step is the history of the patient. The history helps provide clues to understanding 3 key areas
1. What factors, genetic or acquired, predispose the patient to chronic fatigue? (Antecedents)
2. What factors that provoked the onset of fatigue and associated symptoms? (Triggers)
3. What changes in the body were responsible for causing fatigue and imbalances in different parts of the body? (Mediators)
Below is the list of the different factors that predispose, trigger and cause chronic fatigue.
Second Step:
The second step is performing specialized functional tests to find the cause of chronic fatigue. Since every patient has different risk factors and triggers hence the testing is personalized accordingly.
Final Step
The final step is to treat the patient using nutrients and botanicals according to the cause identified.
Below is a chart that discusses the different tests that can help identify the cause and the treatment strategy.
Conclusion
The successful reversal of chronic fatigue in these individuals demonstrates that a Functional Medicine approach provides an effective and efficient approach to diagnose and treat complex clinical conditions such as chronic fatigue.