Overview
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disorder characterized by long term extreme fatigue or tiredness for at least six months. The fatigue is relentless and not refreshed by rest or sleep.
The causes of Chronic fatigue syndrome are not fully understood yet. The leading theories include viral infection, stress, or a combination of factors.
Chronic fatigue syndrome can affect anyone. Women are diagnosed more often than men.
Currently, there is no cure, but treatments including massage therapy may relieve symptoms. See doctor for diagnosis and treatment recommendation if you have persistent fatigue.
Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Researchers speculate that the main causes of chronic fatigue syndrome are:
- Viral infections
- Immune system problems
- Hormonal imbalances
- Stress or depression
- Physical trauma
Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
The main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is unrelenting fatigue that persists for at least six months. The fatigue is severe enough to interfere the work and daily activities.
Other symptoms may include:
- Bad short-term memory, poor concentration, and mental fogginess
- Sleep or rest is not refreshing
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Joint pain with no inflammation
- Recurring sore throat
- Enlarged lymph nodes in neck or armpits
- Dizziness that worsens with changing from lying down or sitting to standing
- Extreme exhaustion after physical or mental activities.
Chronic fatigue syndrome often occurs along with two other chronic stress-related disorders, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. Many people have two or three of the disorders.
Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
There is no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, so treatment emphasizes on symptom relief. The most disabling symptoms should be alleviated first.
Medications
- Depression: Some antidepressants can help alleviate depression as well as relieve pain and improve sleep quality.
- Beta-blockers for orthostatic intolerance. Medications to regulate blood pressure or heart rhythms may be helpful for problem of feeling faint or nauseated then patients stand or sit upright.
- Pain: NSAID for muscle and joint pain. Ibuprofen (Advil, or Motrin IB).
- Naltrexone for pain and cognitive problems.
- Anxiolytics for anxiety
- Antiallergy medication to control allergic symptoms
Massage therapy can also help alleviate depression, sleep problem, pain, and anxiety.
Is Massage Therapy Good for Clients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Patients of chronic fatigue syndrome may likely have low stamina and poor resilience, and may not be able to withstand a rigorous, long, demanding massage. Long session tough massage could leave the patients more fatigue.
Gentle and short massage would be good for patients with even the poor exercise tolerance.
Evidences suggest that massage therapy can help with pain, sleep, and anxiety, which are all issues from chronic fatigue syndrome.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, “Other pain management methods include stretching and movement therapies, gentle massage, heat, toning exercises, and water therapy for healing.”
“Some people with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) might benefit from trying techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation, massage, and movement therapies (such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi). These can reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a sense of well-being.”[1]
“To reduce stress and anxiety without medication and promote a sense of well-being, less severely affected patients with ME/CFS might benefit from trying techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation, massage, and movement therapies (such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi). While methods that involve physical activity might be beneficial for some patients with ME/CFS, initiating or resuming these or other movement therapies requires careful consideration to avoid post-exertional malaise.” [2]
According to a research paper published on National Library of Medicine website, “Some clinical trials report benefits for massage therapy. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials by Li, Yuan et al., show that massage therapy with duration ≥5 weeks leads to improvement in pain, anxiety, and depression in fibromyalgia patients [35,36]. Massage therapy also seems to trigger positive effects on physical symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, including depression, fatigue, pain, and insomnia [37,38,39], suggesting that massage therapy could be used for therapeutic purposes by itself, or in combination with current symptomatic pharmacology as part of integrative medicine programs.”
“A comparison of results from studies in animal models and massage therapy mimetic devices, together with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis patient dysfunctions, points to plausible benefits of massage therapy treatments for these patients. Additionally, massage therapy offers a safe alternative to physical exercise, provided that hyperalgesia and allodynia permits the application of effective pressures or stretching forces.”[3]
Resources
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment
https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/treatment/index.html
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Treating the Most Disruptive Symptoms First and Preventing Worsening of Symptoms
https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/healthcare-providers/clinical-care-patients-mecfs/treating-most-disruptive-symptoms.html
[3] National Library of Medicine: Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164741/ [4] Werner, R. (2019). A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, 328-330
