What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is an extremely complex and destructive disease that affects an unknown number of North Americans every year. Part of the problem in diagnosis is that CFS has symptoms that mimic those of other diseases including diabetes, clinical depression and cancer, to name just a few. However CFS can be diagnosed and, according to the United States Centre for Disease Control, the symptoms of CFS begin with profound fatigue that persists for at least 6 months combined with one or more of the following:

• Post-exertion malaise (after physical or mental exertion)
• Un-refreshing sleep and rest
• Substantial impairment in concentration and memory
• Muscle pain
• Pain in multiple joints
• Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
• Sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes

Source: www.cdc.gov

here are a variety of other symptoms as well but these are they key ones. CFS can also be diagnosed because the condition is frequently exacerbated by physical or mental exercise.

The causes of CFS are unknown despite more than 20 years of investigation by thousands of scientists and researchers around the world. Although a variety of germs have been proposed as being the cause of CFS none of them have ever been conclusively identified. Currently research is focusing on the complex immune and endocrine systems within the human body but so far no breakthroughs have occurred.

At CD Whyte Ridge Pharmacy we follow the established medical practices and work with the patients to relieve the symptoms of the disease in an effort to ameliorate the condition of our patients. We will develop individual nutritional and herbal supplement plans combined with lifestyle changes to enhance the health, wellbeing and overall functioning of our patients. At CD Whyte Ridge we believe that by partnering with our patients we can involve them with every aspect of their treatment and help them take charge of their own health!