Hi, Welcome to part 3 of the video series of the explanation of the cause of CFS!
Okay, so in the first two videos we began to describe how the symptoms can be created
by a dysfunction of the ANS. We also went on to describe that this isn’t just hormonal,
but a neural dysfunction and that both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems
are actually involved. We discussed how this regulation occurs in
two main parts of the brain, the limbic brain and the brainstem.
In the limbic brain, the Hypothalamus,( in particular the paraventricular nucleus) and
the amygdalae are very involved. And in the brain stem, more specifically in the pons,
the locus ceruleus and a couple of other nuclei play the biggest roles.
So we understand that this problem is a result of a breakdown in the ANS due to stress which
can be caused by a variety of factors. These are usually a combination of both psychological
and physical or physiological stress. This explains how so many different people get
CFS in different ways. And it may all be starting to sound a bit
complicated, which of course it is. But I will share some of my thoughts around that
in a moment, which is very important for your recovery program.
But first, let me address why do people suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
recover with so many treatments including things like;
Treatments for yeast infections or Candida; Treatments to restore gut function;
Treatments for adrenal fatigue; Treatments to support detoxification;
Treatments to support liver function; Diets;
Hormone supplementation therapy; Meditation;
Various therapies to deal with unresolved emotions;
NLP to interrupt negative neuroassociations; Variety of medication to treat various symptoms;
Nutritional supplementation to boost energy production;
Herbal medicine Chiropractic treatments
Acupuncture And so on
We stop there with the list, but really, we could probably just keep going all day as
you may already have experienced. So, why do some people just recover over time
with treatment from the doctor and rest whilst others don’t?
The answer is that the problem in the ANS is not just an ongoing regulation, which causes
the symptoms, but it’s actually reinforced and perpetuated by inappropriate stress triggers
and stress responses. Now you have to draw a distinction between
what I call stress triggers and what I call stress responses.
A stress trigger is something that causes stress within your physiology. These can be
emotional, mental or physical. A stress response is how these stresses (or
even pain signals) are actually perceived. So it’s like the whole diabetes example
again. It’s not just a matter of whether you have enough or too much insulin, but how
your body responds to it. In CFS, the body does not respond to catecholamines
or stress hormones or other stress triggers in the usual fashion. And this is a result
of dysfunction in both the limbic brain and the brainstem.
Now to some extend, virtually all people with CFS have some of these. That is because the
dysfunctions that cause you to be ill cause physical symptoms that act as physical triggers.
There are also other physical triggers from the outside environment. Now these can be
sensitivities to a large variety of physical stimuli. Similarly with emotional and mental
triggers. However, what makes up the main physical triggers,
or the main trigger altogether, will vary amongst people with CFS based on their history
and their environment. So a person that has toxic exposure triggers
will much more likely to claim that they found the cause for CFS or their miracle cure after
they had some treatments for detoxification. That is opposed to a person who is under constant
emotional stress due to a childhood experience or perhaps having a violent partner or something
of that nature. This again is different to someone who is
stressed out simply by being sick and being haunted or should I say hounded by their symptoms,
although probably most people who have had CFS for while experience this one.
That is why treatment that reduces your symptoms and support your functioning can potentially
have success in helping you recover.
And hence, everybody will downregulate their stress triggers differently, by eliminating
different triggers and seeking to change their stress response with a variety of strategies.
But the people who think that CFS is caused by sympathetic dominance alone, who simply
focus on parasympathetic restoration, getting back to rest and digest, they will not necessarily
succeed, because your ANS may already have too much Parasympathetic dominance. Parasympathetic
dominance is where you always in a rest and digest state. Some people with CFS can’t
get out of bed at all when they are unwell, so ask yourself, do you really think that
these people need more rest and digest. What we really require here is balance. So
it’s not about artificially necessarily trying to take the state from parasympathetic
to sympathetic, or from sympathetic to parasympathetic. This is supposed to happen naturally. It’s
about restoring a balanced approach that is appropriate for your physiology. Similarly,
it’s not just about increasing sympathetic arousal by using artificial hormones or by
using adrenal support supplements to stimulate an increase in hormonal output. Because, as
I already explained, excessive cortisol has already been at the centre of the problem.
So “FIXING” this could actually make things worse.
It’s about appropriate regulation, not trying to actually replace or change the function
of the Autonomic Nervous System. Although a little influence and assistance
can certainly be helpful until the ANS returns to normal functioning.
What you really need to do is focus on addressing the stress triggers. So you need to :
1. recognise the stress triggers that all cfs persons have;
2. recognise your personal stress triggers of the ans dysfunction;
3. reduce and eliminate the stress triggers as much as possible during the healing period;
4. change your response to the stress triggers So let me recap what we have covered so far:
1. We have outlined the explanation for what causes CFS and how dysfunction of the ANS
can cause the variety of symptoms of CFS 2. We have shown how this explains how different
people get CFS in different way, the different inroads to the illness, a conundrum that some
people still really struggle with; 3. We have explained why different treatments
work because they reduce the stressors that have the greatest impact on that individual;
Because I make the point that gaining a deeper understanding of CFS is key in recovery, I
wanted to mention one other key issue. I keep making the point, treat the cause,
not the consequences. By that I mean, treat the ANS dysfunction as opposed to treating
every secondary problem which will no doubt return over time if you don’t actually treat
the cause of CFS in the first place. But clearly, returning the body to a reasonable
level of health with a number of treatments will not just make you feel better, but it
will aid you in addressing the cause of CFS, which is why there are so many ‘cures’
out there. They all reduce the stress on your body.
That is because if you think about it, the whole thing of fixing these secondary dysfunctions
will make you feel better but if you haven’t dealt with the higher dysfunction, these problems
will just be recreated. Getting too deeply engrossed in physiology
and the biochemistry, which many CFS sufferers end up doing in an attempt to fix all their
dysfunctions, is not necessarily helpful in my opinion.
Just like delving deeper and deeper into my explanation here, getting more and more involved
in the detailed mechanisms of this neuroendocrine dysfunction, isn’t necessarily going to
fix you. Is it really the locus ceruleus or is it more in the medulla oblongata, or is
it the hippocampus or the amygdala.
Nobody is probably ever going to have a complete and total full understanding of how the nervous
system totally functions. It’s really one of the the most amazingly complex system ever.
Instead, you need to gain a broader understanding of what’s going on to identify, what’s
actually happening with you. Ideally, with some help, so that you can learn what to specifically
do to recover. How do you affect your arousal? How do you
change stress response? How do you heal your gut? Practical stuff that is relevant to you
specifically, that you can do so you can recover and move forward, rather than looking for
the miracle cure by getting more and more technically involved.
But please realize that doesn’t mean that it’s all too hard to recover. It just means
that you need to take a little bit more ownership of your recovery. It is not as simple as following
some advice, swallowing a pill or having any one treatment.
Let me share what I believe that the key elements required, for recovery from CFS:
1. Allocating an appropriate amount of time for the healing environment so that full recovery
can be achieved; 2. Identifying the specific personal triggers
that are most dominant in you and addressing these appropriately;
3. Creating a recovery plan that addresses the various dysfunctions and establish a daily
routine that encompasses the most important recovery strategies;
4. Building confidence in your ability to recover as your symptoms reduce and as your
health improves, otherwise it is all too easy to lose faith in what you are doing;
5. and perhaps the most important element is to gain a broader understanding of how
CFS works, because this will allow you to develop the other 4 elements and without this
you may not be identifying your triggers adequately. Or, you may not be following through with
the required action for recovery or allowing enough time to follow a plan.
I describe a recovery that occurs without a broader understanding of the cause of CFS,
how it all works, as an accidental recovery. I believe that such an accidental recovery
can be more likely to lead to a relapse because the chief triggers were not necessarily identified
and adequately dealt with. You’ve got to know how and why you got better. Hopefully
this video has already gone part of the way for you to achieve this for you.
So to maximize one’s chances of a lasting and fuller recovery, as opposed to just going
into remission from CFS, a broader understanding of the illness together with appropriate assistance
from others, is really essential. I think it really makes sense to get help.
Many people become a little disenfranchised with their doctors or naturopaths or other
people like that because it hasn’t worked for them. However, if you have a clearer goal
and a broader understanding of what’s going on, you really need the help of these people.
Thank you for watching, I trust you found this video lecture series thought provoking
and helpful. You can expect to receive further insights and information that I hope you will
find motivating and beneficial. Please share my message of hope with others
by sending them a link to my home page so they too can opt into my email list as well.
Feel free to leave a comment on my website – I will do my best to respond.
Always remember, treat the cause not the consequences. Wishing you the best of health – I’m Daniel
Neuffer, and I’ll see you in my next video.