Chronic Fatigue / Chronic Pain

The list of so called “functional” disorders seems to be growing, and between 25% and 50% of patients who seek help from a doctor have no pathological cause.

At the moment this list includes chronic medically unexplained pain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), non-ulcer dyspepsia, headaches, premenstrual syndrome, TMJ, a wide range of autoimmune dysfunctions, and environmental illnesses, such as electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and allergies.

The implication of all diagnoses of “functional” disorders may be that they are all, or partly “in the mind” and current treatment guidelines offer two main options, “mind altering medication” or a “talking cure”. Either way, the integrity of the patient-as-a-whole is compromised, as the separation of “mind” from body is reinforced.

Doctors are increasingly required to practise medicine according to a set of guidelines, or face punitive consequences. This leads to a defensive form of medicine, and a heavily drug-oriented approach to treatment. Iatrogenic illness (caused by medical treatment) is now regarded as the 3rd leading cause of death among Americans, while in Britain it is conservatively estimated to be more than 1 million per year.

In these situations what is needed is, in simplistic terms, to help people to change their lifestyles, look at things from different perspectives, reprogram experiences, and relax more.