Chronic fatigue

What is chronic fatigue?

Chronic fatigue, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS, is a complex, long-term illness characterized primarily by extreme and prolonged tiredness, fatigue, or exhaustion that is not improved by rest and worsened by physical or mental activity. Some key aspects include:

• The fatigue and exhaustion in ME/CFS is more severe, persistent, and disabling than regular tiredness. It significantly interferes with daily activities and quality of life.


• The fatigue often gets worse after any activity, whether physical or mental exertion. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).


• ME/CFS goes by other names including systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS).

Some other common symptoms are:

• Cognitive dysfunction, often called "brain fog"


• Unrefreshing sleep and sleep disturbances


• Muscle and joint pain


• Headaches


• Sore throat


• Flu-like symptoms

The specific cause of ME/CFS is still unknown but some contributing factors may include:

• Viral infections or immune system dysfunction


• HPA axis dysfunction with cortisol irregularities


• Mitochondrial dysfunction impacting cellular energy


• Neuroendocrine dysfunction


• Genetic predisposition activated by stress

There are no FDA approved drugs yet specifically for ME/CFS. Treatment focuses first on managing and pacing activity to avoid PEM. Other options include medications for sleep and pain, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and supplements like CoQ10.

At Hormone Harmony we specialize in customized bioidentical hormone therapy to help restore optimal hormone balance. Our naturopathic doctors have seen many patients with chronic illnesses like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and Lyme disease find improvement from balancing key hormones like cortisol, thyroid, and sex hormones. Contact us today for a free 15 minute phone consult to see if we can help support your health journey!