by Candice Esposito, Naturopathic Doctor
Algoma Natural Healing Clinic, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

I would estimate that at least 60% of the people I have treated have stated that one of their concerns is fatigue. The most common causes of fatigue are stress, overwork, insomnia, depression, and various malfunctions in the major systems of the body (endocrine, cardiovascular, digestive, etc.) Western medicine is decidedly lacking in safe and effective treatment options for fatigue. Quite commonly, the first step is to use a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), such as Prozac, Paxil, or Wellbutrin, as fatigue is commonly associated with depression. Although trends are changing among the newer generation of doctors, it is still quite rare that the patient is offered lifestyle counseling that focuses on nutrition, exercise, and sleep. There are many wonderful alternative treatment options that include acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, and exercise. Acupuncture tops the list because it tends to be so effective is supplementing the body’s energy.

The majority of patients who complain of fatigue suffer from a deficiency of vital energy (Qi). Qi is the basic energy that creates optimal physiological and neurological function. Aside from fatigue, other signs of Qi deficiency are diarrhea, pallor, easy bruising, excessive sleep, scanty menses or amenorrhea, frequent urination, low libido, and shortness of breath. The strategy of Chinese medicine is to identify a pattern of disharmony that reflects the entirety of one’s symptoms, pulse qualities, and tongue appearance.

Qi deficiency primarily affects 4 different organs: the spleen, kidney, heart, and lungs. Here are symptoms and herbal treatment options for each pattern:

Spleen: diarrhea, loose stools, bloating, bruising, fatigue, prolapse, laconic speech, internal cold
Herbal Formula: Bu zhong yi qi tang

Kidney: low back pain, low libido, fatigue, internal cold, frequent urination
Herbal Formula: Jin gui shen qi wan

Heart: restless sleep, worry, fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath
Herbal Formula: Gui pi tang

Lung: chronic cough, weak immunity, allergies, fatigue, shortness of breath, asthma
Herbal formula: Bu fei tang

Adaptogenic herbs such as rhodiola rosea, ashwaganda, and ginseng may be helpful adjuncts.

Many people with chronic fatigue can attribute this pattern to a central theme that is stealing their energy. Perhaps you are in a marriage that is not working or a job that feels stagnant. Maybe you have set your life up so that you never have time for yourself because you are too busy caring for others. Or maybe you have financial problems that make life feel burdensome. Low energy is often a sign that we are not in control of our life, whether it is in relationships, work, with our health or with our money. Set an intention to heal any area of your life that is spiraling out of control and that feels toxic to you.

Strangely enough, many people are chronically tired because it allows them to get attention from others. Fatigue becomes a way to soak up the well wishes of others, all the while avoiding our personal responsibility to show up to life and offer something helpful. It can be a touch question to ask, but I encourage you to contemplate whether or not you are being a victim to the fatigue. What is your belief system around it? Do you have an internal dialogue that supports and sustains the fatigue? What would your life look like if the fatigue wasn’t an issue? I don’t bring this up to undermine the validity of this very common health concern. In my clinical experience, however, I have noticed a rather common theme of victimization and relinquishing personal power in cases of chronic fatigue.

There are many wonderful treatment options for chronic fatigue. This article is not intended to cover this issue in its entirety, as there can certainly be other factors involved in fatigue (immune dysfunction, low level pathogenic influences, etc.) The key is to be proactive in treating this condition.

Contact our office today to make your first appointment and find out more about the use of acupuncture for fatigue.

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