Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The list of treatments mentioned in various sources
for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
includes the following list.
Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment
or change in treatment plans.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Is the Diagnosis Correct?
The first step in getting correct treatment is
to get a correct diagnosis.
Differential diagnosis list for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may include:
Hidden causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be incorrectly diagnosed:
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Unlabeled Drugs and Medications to treat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Unlabelled alternative drug treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome include:
Medical news summaries about treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
The following medical news items
are relevant to treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Discussion of treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
There is no
effective treatment for CFS. Even though there is no specific
treatment for CFS itself, you may find it quite helpful to treat
your symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as
ibuprofen, may help get rid of any body aches or fever, and
nonsedating antihistamines may help relieve any prominent allergic
symptoms, such as runny nose.
Learning how to manage your
fatigue may help you improve the level at which you can function and
your quality of life despite your symptoms. A rehabilitation
medicine specialist can evaluate and teach you how to plan
activities to take advantage of times when you usually feel better.
The lack of any proven effective treatment can be
frustrating to both you and your doctors. If you have CFS, health
experts recommend that you try to maintain good health by:
- Eating a balanced diet and getting adequate rest
- Exercising regularly but without causing more fatigue
- Pacing yourself -- physically, emotionally, and intellectually
-- because too much stress can aggravate your symptoms.The course
of CFS varies from patient to patient
For most people, CFS
symptoms plateau early in the course of illness and thereafter wax
and wane. Some people get better completely, but it is not clear how
frequently this happens. Emotional support and counseling can help
you and your loved ones cope with the uncertain outlook and the ups
and downs of this illness.
New studies seem to show that
cognitive behavioral therapy and graduated exercise programs can
greatly help many. Others are helped by
antidepressants.
Because well-designed clinical studies have
found that patients with fibromyalgia (an illness similar to CFS)
benefit from low-dose tricyclic antidepressants, doctors often
prescribe these drugs for people with CFS with generally positive
results. Some researchers believe that these drugs improve the
quality of sleep. Patients also have benefited from other kinds of
antidepressants, including the newer serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Therapeutic doses of antidepressants often increase fatigue in CFS,
so doctors may have to increase the dosage very slowly, or prescribe
more active antidepressants. In addition, some people with CFS
benefit from the benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used to treat
acute anxiety and sleep problems. Patients often try more than one
drug before finding one that works and can be tolerated.
(Source: excerpt from
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Treatment for CFS should be initiated only after the possibility of
another disease has been excluded. No medication has been shown to be
effective for curing CFS. The standard of treatment is to treat the
symptoms. Most experts recommend a regimen of adequate rest, balanced
diet, and physical conditioning. Moderate exercise is generally helpful to
minimize loss of physical conditioning, but patients should avoid
over-exertion since this can lead to relapses of severe fatigue and other
symptoms. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications can be useful for
treating headache, and muscle and joint pain.
Because clinical trials have found patients with fibromyalgia (an illness
similar to CFS) benefit from low-dose tricyclic anti-depressants,
tricyclics are widely prescribed for people with CFS with generally
favorable results. (Source: excerpt from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: NWHIC)
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Book Excerpts: Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Treatments of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Online Medical Books
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Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the treatments of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Fatigue:
Treatment
(In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
-
Treatment is targeted at specific underlying medical problems, if determined (e.g., thyroid disease, chronic infection, malignancy)
-
Stop or change offending medications
-
Consider trial of antidepressant therapy and/or cognitive behavioral psychiatric therapy
-
Regularly scheduled physical activity
-
Improve sleep hygiene
-
Referral to support groups
-
Discontinue offending medications
-
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are often treated with supportive care, healthy diet, moderate exercise, and low-dose antidepressants
-
Weight loss for obesity
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In a Page: Signs and Symptoms, 2004
Headache:
Treatment
(In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
-
Tension-type headache: Regular exercise, stress management, tricyclic antidepressants, analgesics
-
Migraine headache: Avoid triggers; serotonin agonists (e.g., sumatriptan), NSAIDs, ergotomines
-
Temporal arteritis: High-dose corticosteroids
-
Meningitis: Search for and treat the primary source (e.g., pneumonia, sinusitis, neoplasm)
–Urgent antimicrobial administration for infections
–Treat inflammatory causes with steroids
-
Subarachnoid hemorrhage requires attention to airway, breathing, and circulation, and management of increased intracranial pressure (maintain normal blood pressure; hypertension may cause the aneurysm to rebleed, hypotension may cause cerebral ischemia); administer nimodipine to prevent cerebral vasospasm, seizure prophylaxis with IV phenytoin, surgery
-
Cluster headache: Oxygen inhalation for 5–10 minutes; serotonin agonists, ergotamines, and/or methysergide
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In a Page: Signs and Symptoms, 2004
Fatigue:
Treatment
(In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms)
-
Behavioral modifications based on cause
–Increase duration of sleep
–Ensure three calorically adequate meals per day
-
Correction of anemia
–Iron supplementation
–Blood transfusion if hemodynamically unstable
-
Depression
–Psychological counseling and antidepressants
-
Infectious mononucleosis
–Rest if fatigue is severe
–No contact sports with significant splenomegaly
-
Anti-inflammatory drugs for inflammatory causes
-
Chronic fatigue syndrome
–Emotional support
–Psychological treatment if indicated
–Modification of schedule as needed
–Various medications have been attempted, however no
clear consensus, high rate of placebo effect
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Headache:
Treatment
(In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms)
-
Explanation and reassurance alone may provide relief
-
Avoid triggers
–Trauma, sunlight, insomnia, stress, diet, dehydration
-
Symptomatic treatment:
–Acetominophen, NSAIDs, Midrin, Fioricet, Fiorinal
–Selective serotonin-1 receptor agonists
–Dihydroergotamine (DHE); Migranal nasal spray
–Antiemetics
-
Prophylaxis
–NSAIDs, β-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants,
cyproheptadine, calcium channel blockers,
antiepileptic drugs, biofeedback
-
Cluster headaches
–Treated with inhalation of oxygen; sumatriptan
-
Pseudotumor
–Weight reduction, Diamox
–Optic nerve sheath decompression or shunting
>>
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Headache:
Treatment
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Depending on the type of headache, analgesics — ranging from aspirin to codeine or meperidine — may provide symptomatic relief. Other measures include identification and elimination of causative factors and, possibly, psychotherapy for headaches caused by emotional stress. Chronic tension headaches may also require muscle relaxants.
For migraine headaches, ergotamine alone or with caffeine may be an effective treatment. The Food and Drug Administration allows labeling of various analgesic preparations that include caffeine to state that they’re for the treatment of migraine headaches. Remember that these medications can’t be taken by pregnant women because they stimulate uterine contractions. These drugs and others, such as metoclopramide or naproxen, work best when taken early in the course of an attack. If nausea and vomiting make oral administration impossible, drugs may be given as rectal suppositories.
Drugs in the class of sumatriptan are considered by many clinicians to be the drug of choice for acute migraine attacks or cluster headaches. Drugs that can help prevent migraine headaches include antidepressants (such as nortriptyline or fluoxetine), beta blockers (propranolol), and calcium-channel blockers (verapamil). Corticosteroids provide short-term relief for some patients with cluster headaches.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Chronic fatigue syndrome:
Treatment
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
No treatment is known to cure CFS. Symptomatic treatment may involve the use of medications to treat depression, anxiety, pain, discomfort, and fever. Hidden yeast infections may be present and should be treated. Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir and selected immunomodulating agents, such as I.V. gamma globulin, ampligen, and transfer factor, may be of assistance.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Fatigue:
Patient counseling
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
Regardless of the cause of fatigue, you may need to help the patient alter his lifestyle to achieve a balanced diet, a program of regular exercise, and adequate rest. Counsel him about setting priorities, keeping a reasonable schedule, and developing good sleep habits. Teach stress management techniques as appropriate.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Headache:
Treatment
(Handbook of Diseases)
Depending on the type of headache, treatment interventions range from relaxation techniques, massage, and biofeedback to pharmacologic agents. Tricyclic antidepressants, beta-adrenergic blockers, and anticonvulsants may be prescribed for headache prevention; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), combination NSAIDs with caffeine, ergotamines, and dopamine antagonists may be used for abortive measures. Narcotic agents are generally avoided or may be limited to twice weekly.
Abortive therapy using the synthetic form of serotonin (sumatriptan) is available in an oral form and as a nasal spray and can easily be carried for immediate use.
Other measures include identification and elimination of causative factors, stressors, or stimuli that might trigger an attack such as in the migraine-type headache. Diet history and examination of lifestyle patterns may help identify causative agents.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome:
Treatment
(Handbook of Diseases)
Treatment is aimed at the cause, if one can be found. Supportive therapy includes an anti-inflammatory, an antihistamine, and rest.
Treatment of symptoms may include a tricyclic antidepressant (doxepin), a histamine2-blocker (cimetidine), and an anxiolytic (alprazolam). In some patients, avoidance of environmental irritants and certain foods may help to relieve symptoms.
Experimental treatments include the antiviral acyclovir and selected immunomodulators, such as I.V. gamma globulin, ampligen, and transfer factor.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Fatigue:
Patient counseling
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Regardless of the cause of fatigue, you may need to help the patient alter his lifestyle to achieve a balanced diet, a program of regular exercise, and adequate rest. Counsel him about setting priorities, keeping a reasonable schedule, and developing good sleep habits. Teach stress management techniques as appropriate.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
Headache:
Patient counseling
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Teach the patient and his family or caregiver how to recognize signs of reduced LOC and seizures. Discuss ways to maintain a safe, quiet environment and reduce environmental stress, if indicated. Discuss the use of analgesics to ease the headache.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
Fatigue:
Nursing considerations
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
▪ Help the patient determine which daily activities he may need help with and how he should pace himself to ensure sufficient rest.
▪ Take measures to reduce pain and nausea.
▪ If fatigue results from a psychogenic cause, refer him for psychological counseling.
Patient teaching
▪ Educate the patient about lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise.
▪ Stress the importance of pacing activities and planning rest periods.
▪ Discuss stress management techniques.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Headache:
Nursing considerations
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
▪ Monitor the patient's vital signs and LOC.
▪ Watch for a change in the headache's severity or location.
▪ To help ease the headache, administer an analgesic, darken the patient's room, and minimize other stimuli.
▪ Prepare the patient for diagnostic tests, such as skull X-rays, a computed to-mography scan, lumbar puncture, or cerebral arteriography.
Patient teaching
▪ Explain all procedures and treatments to the patient.
▪ Discuss the signs of reduced LOC and seizures that the patient or his caregivers should report.
▪ Explain ways to maintain a safe, quiet environment and reduce environmental stress.
▪ Discuss the proper use of analgesics.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
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