Fatigue is a wall that keeps people frozen and is caused by many different sources. Workup starts basic but should be broad. It frequently includes some basic nutritional causes, blood cell related causes, infectious disease causes, basic hormonal causes, and major organ causes. However, when there is normal or near-normal results, it can feel frustrating and patients can feel trapped by both the system that can’t explain how they feel and the symptoms that they have.

When no answer is given, sometimes it helps to re-examine the work-up with a fresh set of eyes. Repeating labs is an appropriate option, but so is looking into further lab work not usually ordered including labs often considered “experimental” or “for entertainment purposes only” by the industrial medical industry. It helps to find a provider knowledgable in these kinds of labs because they are not taught about in traditional medical schools or residency programs.

Even so, there a few things to consider in managing chronic fatigue. First is energy management. I think energy in the body is like a bank account. It’s balance is the total of the emotional resilience, the spiritual status, the mental / stress load, the physical support (sleep, food, exercise, etc), and the baseline health of a person. Not only are withdrawals made, but because of certain factors in a person’s life, the cost of doing something can greatly vary.

This is why, for some individuals, getting dressed for the day may be incredibly difficult. The cost of engaging with getting cleaned up can vary based on the emotions around the act of getting dressed or what getting dressed means. Or, perhaps it is increased because of the increased chronic pain of movement. Add to this concept that this sort of patient doesn’t get the same level of regular energy resorting deposits as someone who has no challenging issues. So, the deposits are low and the cost is high: hence, simple things cannot get completed.

Other than going through an extended work-up like discussed above, a fatigued person can address two basic approaches to starting to feel better: the pluses and minuses. Let’s start with the minuses first. Minuses addresses what can be removed that might be costing more to the balance of energy. This might be cutting out processed or highly refined foods that might provide a small energy boost but contribute to messed up metabolisms. It could also mean taking a fast from things that are taxing like the news, social media, constant sitting, or mind altering substances. If you get the inkling that you should consider one or more of these, then please start today.

The pluses are things that would do well by adding them to a routine. Eating a healthy assortment of fruits and vegetables is good to add. Adding a hot bath or sauna care may be beneficial to helping with sleep. Getting a daytime walk, especially good in the morning, can help the circadian rhythm to calibrate. Adding calming teas or scents can be destressing and aid in recovery.

Fatigue shouldn’t be ignored because persistent and deep fatigue isn’t normal. If this is you, then consider getting some help for a deeper understanding and fine-tuning the pluses and minuses for your life.