Exercise is often a problem for people with CFS because physical activity can worsen their symptoms. Medical opinion has been divided on whether people with CFS should attempt regular exercise or not – some believe that gentle exercise is helpful, while others caution against any form of aerobic activity.

Research has found that patient education on CFS and a graded exercise program can improve symptoms in many cases and, on average, is not likely to worsen outcomes.

Tips For CFS Exercise

• Exercise may not be possible for everyone

Some people with CFS, especially in the weeks or months following onset, are unable to perform the most basic activities such as showering or walking from one room to another. In such cases of extreme exhaustion and pain, the person may be confined to their bed.

As time passes, the person may feel a little better and attempt regular exercise. However, aerobic activity can cause a relapse of symptoms. The added problem for people with CFS is that a sedentary lifestyle causes a range of other health problems including muscle wastage, loss of bone mass, and increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

• Potassium

Medical problems that cause low levels of the electrolyte potassium often include chronic fatigue as a symptom. The bulk of the body’s potassium supply is found in muscle tissue, with the rest in the brain, blood and internal organs. A 2004 study by researchers at Adelaide University found that people with CFS have less total body potassium (TBP) than healthy people of similar age and weight.

Exercise Suggestions For Chronic Fatigue

A person with CFS needs a gentle approach to physical activity and should only make tiny increases in the frequency, duration and intensity of their exercise program.

Be guided by your doctor or physiotherapist, but general suggestions include:

• Aim for no more than three exercise sessions per week.
• Experiment to find the type of exercise that works best for you. Choose from a range of gentle activities such as stretching, yoga, Tai Chi, walking and light weight training.
• Stretching seems to be well tolerated by people with CFS. You may prefer to perform your stretching program while lying down in bed.
• Aerobic exercise seems to cause relapses for many people with CFS. If this is true for you, try non-aerobic forms of exercise like weight training with light weights.
• Keep an activity diary so you have a long-term picture of your performance levels and factors that might impact on fatigue.
• Learn from past relapses. For example, if walking for 20 minutes worsened your symptoms, try walking for five minutes and see how that goes. Use your activity diary to keep track of what works for you and what doesn’t.
• Stop the physical activity well before you feel tired. Pacing yourself is very important.
• Remember that your exercise tolerance will differ from one day to the next.
• If possible, monitor your heart rate during exercise with a heart rate monitor or by manually taking your pulse.
• Listen to your body – if you don’t feel up to exercising on a particular day, don’t.
• Slowly increase the intensity, time spent or frequency of exercise, but only when you know you can cope with it. For example, if you can exercise for five minutes without suffering a relapse, try for six minutes.

Military troops who served in Vietnam and the Gulf Wars; rescue workers involved in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Bombing; survivors of accidents, rape, physical and sexual abuse, as well as other crimes; immigrants fleeing violence in their home countries; survivors of the 1994 California earthquake, the 1997 South Dakota floods, and hurricanes Hugo and Andrew; and people who witness traumatic events are among the people who may develop PTSD. Families of victims can also develop the disorder.

Who Is Most Likely to Develop PTSD?

People who have been abused as children or who have had other previous traumatic experiences are more likely to develop the disorder. Research is continuing to pinpoint other factors that may lead to PTSD.

Symptoms of PTSD?

• Many people with PTSD repeatedly re-experience the ordeal in the form of flashback episodes, memories, nightmares, or frightening thoughts, especially when they are exposed to events or objects reminiscent of the trauma.
• Anniversaries of the event can also trigger symptoms.
• People with PTSD also experience emotional numbness and sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and irritability or outbursts of anger. Feelings of intense guilt are also common.
• Most people with PTSD try to avoid any reminders or thoughts of the ordeal.

PTSD is diagnosed when symptoms last more than one month.

Co-occurring depression, alcohol or other substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder are not uncommon. The likelihood of treatment success is increased when these other conditions are appropriately diagnosed and treated as well.

Headaches, gastrointestinal complaints, immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain, or discomfort in other parts of the body are common. Often, doctors treat the symptoms without being aware that they stem from PTSD. NIMH, through its education program, is encouraging primary care providers to ask patients about experiences with violence, recent losses, and traumatic events, especially if symptoms keep recurring. When PTSD is diagnosed, referral to a mental health professional who has had experience treating people with the disorder is recommended.

Post Traumatic Stress Details

At least 3.6% of U.S. adults (5.2 million Americans) have PTSD during the course of a year. About 30 percent of the men and women who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD. One million war veterans developed PTSD after serving in Vietnam. PTSD has also been detected among veterans of the Persian Gulf War, with some estimates running as high as 8 percent.

PTSD can develop at any age, including in childhood. Symptoms typically begin within 3 months of a traumatic event, although occasionally they do not begin until years later. Once PTSD occurs, the severity and duration of the illness varies. Some people recover within 6 months, while others suffer much longer.

PTSD Treatments

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy, in which the patient repeatedly relives the frightening experience under controlled conditions to help him or her work through the trauma, as well as medications that help ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety and help promote sleep. Scientists are attempting to determine which treatments work best for which type of trauma.

Symptoms & Signs of Parkinson’s Disease

Symptoms of Parkinson’s vary in different individuals based on the severity of its progress. While some show obvious signs of Parkinson over a short period of time, for many others, Parkinson disease gradually sets into their system and is not detected until much later. Many individuals are severely disabled by this disease, but there are some who continue to lead fairly regular lives. Some of the primary symptoms of Parkinson’s include:

• Bradykinesia: This is the phenomenon when an individual experiences slow movement. This is one of the first signs of Parkinson. Affected individuals will be unable to initiate certain movements and will have difficulty in making simple movements.
• Resting Tremor: Tremors are felt by almost all individuals suffering from Parkinson disease. It is called resting tremor because the tremor is most often felt when the person is in a relaxed position and is unable to control these oscillating movements. It is most commonly felt in the hands, fingers, legs and toes.
• Rigidity: Stiffness in muscle is felt at all times. The individual will face difficulty relaxing their muscles, especially while walking or while making swinging movements with arms and legs.
• Gait disturbance: Symptoms of Parkinson include a distinctive gait as individuals experience difficulty in walking. They make small, rigid steps and move ahead in a forward bending posture.

Some of the Secondary symptoms of Parkinson’s include:

• Fatigue
• Sexual dysfunction
• Impaired motor skills
• Loss of facial expressions
• Cramping in throat muscles
• Speech impairment

Parkinson Support & Treatment

Treatment for Parkinson’s has come a long way since it was first discovered and understood. We know that Parkinson disease affects individuals in varying levels of severity. Thus each individual may have different forms of treatment for Parkinson’s depending on their current stage of progress. After the Parkinson diagnosis is verified and completed, one must explore what is the best possible option available for them. Parkinson support is available in various information websites and most importantly through your doctor. Some of the Treatment for Parkinson’s include:

Medication

Many of the symptoms of Parkinsons may be reduced by taking varying doses of medication throughout the day. These medications may not be able to cure Parkinson disease, but they certainly do help in making life easier for those suffering from the effects of it. The most commonly prescribed medications for Parkinson disease include:

• Levodopa
• Dopamine
• MAO-B
• Anticholinergics
• COMT
• Surgery

While medication helps in reducing symptoms for Parkinsons, it can get tiring to keep up with it on an everyday basis. Another option to deal with it is to have surgery and relieve oneself from mental pressure for at least a few years. The current procedure used for Parkinson disease is called:

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) : During this surgery, an impulse generator device is inserted under the collarbone area which sends electrodes to the affected area of the brain. The electrical impulse stimulates the motor skills area of the brain and keeps this disease under control.

Signs of Parkinson may become obvious at its later stages, but Parkinson disease is best treated when discovered at an early stage. It is important for loved ones to look out for those exhibiting the primary symptoms of Parkinsons. While there is still no cure for Parkinson disease, technology and medication have come a long way to help in Parkinson support. Treatment for Parkinson’s include a number of prescription medications and also a specific surgery. With the correct Parkinson diagnosis and care, it is possible to lead a fairly normal life for those affected by this disease.

References:

1. Parkinson’s Disease Information Page - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
2. National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.
3. Parkinson’s Disease Foundation