Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & homeopathic treatment

I am a 47-year-old homemaker and for the past three years, I have been suffering from a strange illness. I feel perpetually tired, so much SQ, that I am confined to bed for days and weeks, a condition which restricts even normal activities. I feel exhausted even after walking a few steps. Other symptoms include pain and swelling in various joints, headache, disturbed sleep and at times, slight fever. All this started after the death of my husband, which was about three-and-a- half years back. Since then, I’ve also been under a lot of stress. After thorough clinical investigations, which did not reveal anything significant, I have been termed as a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patient. Is this curable? If so, then please suggest a homeopathic medicine.

Anita Rani,

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating and complex, disorder characterized by profound fatigue, which is not improved by bed rest and may be worsened by physical or mental activity. Persons with CFS- most often function at s substantially lower level of activity than they were capable of, before the onset of illness. Besides these, patients also report various non-specific symptoms, including weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and / or mental concentration, insomnia and post -exertion fatigue, lasting more than 24 hours. The exact cause of CFS in unknown. Some researchers suspect that it may be caused by a virus, such as human herpes virus-6 ( HHV-6). However, no distinct viral cause has been identified.

Recent studies have shown that chronic fatigue syndrome may be caused by inflammation of pathways in the nervous system. CFS may occur when a viral illness is complicated by an inadequate or an improper immune response. Other factors such as age, prior illness, stress, environment, or genetic disposition may also play a role. CFS most commonly occurs in women between the age of 30 and 50. AS the syndrome began soon after the death of your husband, mental trauma could have led to the situation. You may start your treatment with Natrum Mur 1m (1000 c), one dose every month for a period of three months.

In a similar case, the CFS had grown to such a proportion that the patient was reduced to mere 38 kgs.The patient responded to a high dose of Natrum Mur and within 18 months, she recovered from chronic fatigue syndrome, with a normal body weight of 56 kgs. Natrum Mur was prescribed, as her case history suggested mental trauma in the past: Other homeopathic medicines for the treatment of CFS are - Arsenic Album, Carcinocin, China, Silicea, and Picric Acid.

For a person to be termed as CFS patient, he or she should have had severe chronic fatigue for a minimum period of six months or more, with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis and have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration, sore throat, muscle pain, multi-joint pain without swelling or redness, headaches, disturbed sleep and post-exertional fatigue lasting more than 24 hours.