{"id":35156,"date":"2008-03-26T16:35:41","date_gmt":"2008-03-26T21:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/uncategorized\/information-about-cfids-fibromyalgia.html"},"modified":"2008-03-26T16:35:41","modified_gmt":"2008-03-26T21:35:41","slug":"information-about-cfids-fibromyalgia","status":"publish","type":"corporate","link":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/law-library\/information-about-cfids-fibromyalgia.html","title":{"rendered":"Information About CFIDS\/ Fibromyalgia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CFIDS\/ Fibromyalgia is a disabling disease often characterized by chronic or recurrent debilitating fatigue and persistent flu-like symptoms, including, but not limited to, sore throat, lymph node pain and tenderness(CFIDS), headache, sleeplessness\/ restfulness, and acute, often specifically localized, muscular pain. There presently remains no known cause or cure for the disease, although, several hypotheses exist (in no order of importance):<\/p>

  1. Viral exposure<\/li>
  2. Traumatic Injury<\/li>
  3. Chemical exposure<\/li><\/ol>

    Despite research to the contrary, some doctors still overlook the biological evidence present in CFIDS patients, utilizing "depression" as a generalized label. According to Dr. Ted Dinan, Chair of Psychiatry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, several neuroendocrine abnormalities have been demonstrated in CFIDS patients, specifically, reduced adrenal gland volume, opposite of what is found in depression (taken from Massachusetts CFIDS Association Update, Vol. 11, No. 4, page 6).<\/p>

    Dr. Alan Gurwitt, a child psychiatrist on the faculty of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, reports that in a majority of patients there exists mild anxiety and depression AFTER<\/u> the onset of CFIDS; most patients having been characterized as "high functioning" prior to the illness. Psychiatric help may be useful in providing in-depth understanding of family functioning, overseeing a medication management program and encouraging the use of coping skills to deal with the loss of function. (ibid at page 8). In no event should CFIDS\/ Fibromyalgia be considered the aftermath of depression. To the contrary, mild depression is the typical causal result of the disease.<\/p>

    CFIDS\/ Fybromyalgia did not obtain widespread recognition until the early- mid 1980's. As such, generations of physicians never received formal training, instead seeing random patients complaining of vague "flu-like" symptoms. The lack of knowledge, combined with an absence of objective physical evidence, often impedes early diagnosis. Unfortunately, despite diligent effort, no one or combination of tests has been perfected to assist doctors find an organic cause. Diagnosis is often determined by exclusion, and years of silent suffering.<\/p>

    Because the cause is unknown, no one treatment regiment has shown success. Medications are often prescribed to assist sleep disorder, restlessness and pain, with frequent severe side effects. Exercise can assist with mobility and psychiatric intervention could reduce some anxiety, teaching patients how to cope. Many patients suffer in silence, not coming to terms with their disabling condition. Support groups provide an excellent resource, a place to talk, or listen, with friends who understand.<\/p>

    After working with hundreds of CFIDS patients, I have equated the onset with that of a light-switch<\/i>. After viral or chemical exposure or traumatic injury, physically, the body often shuts itself down in an effort to effectuate repair. After some time, the body "turns back on", the person regaining normalcy. The CFIDS\/ Fibromyalgia sufferer, however, never seems to reset, remaining in a state of "disrepair". This could explain why there exists no one uniform cause. Any injury or exposure which causes the body to "shut down" may lead to chronic suffering, so long as the light-switch<\/i> is never turned back on. Again, while there remains no cure, support groups provide an excellent resource for inspiration and education.<\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    CFIDS\/ Fibromyalgia is a disabling disease often characterized by chronic or recurrent debilitating fatigue and persistent flu-like symptoms, including, but not limited to, sore throat, lymph node pain and tenderness(CFIDS), headache, sleeplessness …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false},"corporate_categories":[6497,6514],"class_list":["post-35156","corporate","type-corporate","status-publish","hentry","corporate_categories-law-library","corporate_categories-law-library__maritime-law"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate\/35156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/corporate"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"corporate_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/legal-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/corporate_categories?post=35156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}