Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be affecting as many as 2.5 million people in the United States, with an estimated 90% of them undiagnosed.
This isn’t surprising when you consider that the cause of the condition is unknown. You get more tired when you exert yourself physically or mentally, which seems to be a normal response, but sleep and rest don’t refresh you. Concentration, focus, and memory may all suffer.
A disease without a known cause is always difficult to treat, but for some patients, intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy may be a valid approach that produces results. Dr. James Nassiri of Westside Pain Specialists recommends IV therapy for his patients with CFS.
There’s no way to test directly for CFS. Its symptoms are often common and consistent with other diseases or conditions that need to be ruled out, so often CFS is diagnosed only when there’s nothing else to check.
Symptoms also vary widely among CFS patients. You may experience one or more of the following, at various levels of intensity:
Fatigue is a symptom of many diseases, so it’s common to undergo extensive testing to pinpoint the reason. Most patients diagnosed with CFS have already had numerous illnesses ruled out. CFS often accompanies autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus.
Once a CFS diagnosis is made, it’s time to explore treatment options to minimize the impact of the symptoms. Often, this includes trials to explore what works for you. Since CFS accompanies a number of conditions, treating those conditions may also reduce the effects of CFS.
IV therapy usually enters the picture when other treatments fail to produce sufficient improvements. As you likely know, IV therapy uses a base solution, usually saline, delivered directly to a vein.
Once an IV is set up, you can receive medications and nutrients along with the saline into your bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. This makes for faster and more effective delivery, since there’s no loss through digestion and absorption, as there is with medications taken orally.
Typically, IV “cocktails” are used to provide energy boosts along with the hydration. The Myer’s cocktail was first developed in the 1940s to provide improved health without the use of medications. Instead, a mix of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes nudges your blood chemistry in a positive direction that often helps to overcome the worst of the CFS symptoms.
There’s no single formula for IV therapy, though vitamins B12 and C are commonly used, along with magnesium. Your therapy can be customized to your CFS condition, based on symptoms and blood test results.
IV therapy isn’t a cure for CFS, but it can provide a regular boost that makes it easier to live with the condition.
Contact Westside Pain Specialists at either of their two locations in Beverly Hills or Rancho Cucamonga to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nassiri. Find out more about IV therapy for your fatigue by calling today.
We offer treatment for neck pain, back pain, sports injuries, along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Call us to book your appointment today.
