Tired and Sore?  Fatigue and Achiness Can Have Many Causes--and Solutions

We all know what it's like to be tired and sore after working a double shift, cleaning up the garden, or caring for family members overnight. But what about fatigue and achiness that don't go away--even with plenty of rest?

If your exhaustion and body pains persist for three months or more, you may wonder if you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Maybe you've seen advertisements for drugs used to treat fibromyalgia, and question whether they might help you feel better. 

At The Care Group, we know that fibromyalgia and CFS can overlap--and cause patients a number of symptoms that interfere with work, day-to-day living and life's pleasures. Thing is, those symptoms may have other causes--sometimes with straightforward treatments that don't require a prescription.

When you step into our medical practice, your provider will take a functional-medicine approach to your diagnosis and treatment, holistically analyzing all of you, not just the sum of your symptoms. Traditional medicine focuses on diagnosis and the treatment of disease--usually with medications. We will search for the root cause of your fatigue and tenderness--taking into consideration that a combination of factors could be to blame. Functional medicine focuses on prevention of disease, elimination of aggravating factors and the correction of hormonal or nutritional imbalances.

 

Here are a few of the many possible conditions often associated with persistent fatigue and muscle pain:

Food intolerances to substances such as MSG or aspartame 

Gluten allergy 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

Dysbiosis, a deficiency of beneficial bacteria in the gut 

Yeast overgrowth 

Vitamin D deficiency 

Hypothyroidism or functional hypothyroidism 

Adrenal gland problems 

Disturbed sleep 

Drug side effects

It's crucial to inform your doctor of all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take. Recently, I treated Joe, a 55-year-old salesman taking a prescription statin to reduce his cholesterol and reduce his risk of heart attack. He complained of debilitating fatigue and asked, "Could it be chronic fatigue syndrome?" After a thorough examination and careful analysis of his blood-test results, I determined that his cholesterol was too low--everyone needs some cholesterol to manufacture essential hormones. I lowered Joe's statin dose and suggested some supplements, and he soon felt well enough to resume moderate exercise--another boon for his heart.

My years of research on the causes and treatment of IBS piqued my interest in fibromyalgia and CFS, as well as other causes of the fatigue and soreness characterized by these conditions. I began studying IBS in 1988, and some years later found that many patients suffering from gas, bloating, diarrhea and irregular bowel movements felt better with the addition of probiotics to their diet. Many of those patients had several overlapping conditions, with symptoms including chronic fatigue and muscle soreness. With the right blend of "good" intestinal bacteria essential for healthy digestion, these patients said good-bye to their IBS--as well as their fatigue and widespread body aches.

If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome and experience devastating exhaustion and an all-over, flu-like achiness that interferes with your work or family life, it's time to make an appointment with a doctor. At The Care Group, we are transforming primary care with our patient-centered approach to functional medicine. After all, we want to help you wake up to face each day feeling refreshed and energized.

Here are some related articles you might consider:

Probiotics and your Health 

The Case for avoiding Gluten 

Medication side affects 

MSG and Aspartame linked to common Medical Complaints 

Functional Hypothyroidism 

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy