Washington D.C. [USA], March 1 : Chronic fatigue syndrome is an often debilitating condition which causes excessive fatigue, tiredness and muscle tenderness for a prolonged period of time.
Its symptoms get exacerbated as a patient goes through physical or mental strain and the effects don't get any better even with adequate sleep and stress management.
Fox News talked to Dr Raphael Kellman, founder of Kellman Wellness Center, about what are the exact causes of chronic fatigue and what treatment approaches work the best for its mitigation.
Dr Kellman, first of all, clarified that chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome are two separate ailments.
He also said that "there are a number of similar factors, and there are many different variations of the same problem. However, the common denominator between both issues is chronic fatigue lasts for more than a couple of months without improvement from sleep or is exacerbated with increased physical activity. Chronic fatigue syndrome typically lasts longer and includes muscle tenderness."
The medical community has since long struggled to zero down on the exact reasons behind chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome, but newly emerging studies have drawn common associations between the affected people.
Kellman suggests that the patients of chronic fatigue oftentimes suffer from gastrointestinal issues, hence gut health might an important determining factor for this condition.
Whereas chronic fatigue syndrome can also be caused by thyroid problems that have gone unnoticed, he said.
"Another possibility is that multiple triggers lead to the development of these conditions, including viral infections, certain diseases, immune dysfunction and adrenal gland problems," Kellman father told Fox News.
There are no specific diagnostic tools to confirm whether a person suffers from chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome, however, doctors can run a battery of tests to strike out the possibility of some other ailment.
Kellman told that going through the patient's medical history and blood tests can prove to be useful in reaching upon a diagnosis. The TRH Stimulation test, that assesses the functioning of the pituitary gland, has been used by Kellman with a certain degree of success in this regard.
Although these conditions can strike anyone -- including children -- it is the individuals who are immunocompromised or have overused antibiotics, that are considered to be most vulnerable.
"If you're sleeping well and you're reducing your stress and you're still feeling this way, then you should seek help, especially if it's associated with weight gain, anxiety and depression (or other psychological issues) and gastrointestinal issues; then you know it's not just associated with lifestyle - and something more serious that needs to be addressed with a doctor," Kellman informed.
Upon being diagnosed, patients tend to show positive outcomes once they make improvements to their eating habits.
"When you treat the underlying issues by first healing the microbiome and actively testing for the thyroid, then you can treat and, ultimately, cure yourself of this syndrome," he concluded.