Fatigue is very common when you feel weak after a long hard day at work or after taking care of your kids. One can experience muscle fatigue that would make them feel exhausted, weak, uncomfortable, and sometimes even in pain. While normal fatigue can be manageable by rest and sleep, chronic fatigue syndrome is different. Let us discuss about exercise therapy, what to expect and is it true that exercise can help with chronic fatigue syndrome.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome?
It is actually very difficult to explain what chronic fatigue syndrome is. It is not really a disease on its own but is described as a result of several conditions that can cause fatigue. Its difference from normal muscle fatigue is that it cannot be relieved by rest and is aggravated by physical activity. However, it is so hard to diagnose since its symptoms are almost the same with other musculoskeletal disorders, like fibromyalgia, neuromyasthenia, and even flu!
Signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
Body fatigue that lasts at least 6 months- Insomnia
- Disorientation or memory impairment
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Joint pain
- Soreness in neck and armpits due to swollen or tender lymph nodes
Can exercise therapy help relieve chronic fatigue syndrome?
Yes. In fact, a study showed that exercise therapy relieved some symptoms of CFS which included a positive effect on the patient’s sleep pattern, bodily function, and outlook in life. Because CFS is generally a difficult condition to resolve and symptoms and severity is different from one patient to another, its full recovery or treatment may not be easily achieved. It is the goal of doctors then to ease some of the symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life while battling with CFS. On this note, exercise therapy performed by trained medical professionals is deemed effective.
