A Program, Not a Pill: Treating Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Part 1
At Mitchell Medical Group, we have been treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue patients for over 2 decades. We have seen active, vibrant people become house-bound by the debilitating symptoms of both of these conditions.
Our Approach
We have a different approach than many of our medical colleagues that either see this as a purely psychiatric condition or those that treat the pain and fatigue with strong medications. Our comprehensive program is a culmination of our training with various top programs over the past 2 decades and incorporating them into steps any patient can follow.
But please understand: you are a key player in participating in this program. We can impart the knowledge to give you the tools to get better… but you have to have some “skin in the game” as well.
The First Step: The Physical Part
Today I will discuss just the 1st component of the Program which is the physical part. The latest research on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue point to dysregulation with the body’s response to stress. Chronic stress causes biochemical changes in the body. The body’s response to the stress leads to changes in the endocrine system, where hormones such as cortisol and thyroid hormone can be elevated or depressed. These hormones affect the immune system and decrease its ability to fight off everyday infections. The chronic stress hormones also lead to sleep disturbances, which in turn cause serotonin–a neurotransmitter biochemical present in the brain and other nerve tissue–to become depleted.
Mitochondria
This complicated chain of events can lead to the nervous system becoming imbalanced. The body produces pain chemicals, like Substance P, to compensate. The problem is that an overload of Substance P (the P stands for Pain) throws the natural balance of the body out of whack. Lack of sleep also affects growth hormone, which (along with cortisol) affects the body’s ability to regenerate.
The Mitochondrial Connection
The physical target in helping patients beat Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue is a component of our cells called mitochondria. Mitochondria are the battery of our cells. We all know that when a battery runs dry, there’s no more power. This is similar to our body: mitochondria that are not working effectively leave the cell without power. How do you recharge the mitochondria?
Recharging the Cell
At Mitchell Medical Group, we follow the guidelines by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, a world expert on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, who advocates restoring the mitochondria with specific vitamins, taken orally and by injection, along with antioxidants. We frequently need to “jump-start” patients with the injectable vitamins to get high doses into the tissue (oral vitamins are only about 30% absorbed). In some cases, we use intravenous Vitamin C along with B Vitamins and antioxidants to give the patient the vitamins that are key to cellular function. Another special treatment we use at times is Gamma-Globulin injections–purified antibodies that protect the body from a range of infections and which have anti-inflammatory properties.
In the next segment, we will discuss the nutritional changes important to boosting your energy, as well as some other physical healing techniques. Stay tuned…
– Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D.
Mitchell Medical Group, NYC
About the Author – Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D.
Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D. is a Board Certified Allergist and Immunologist based out of NYC. He graduated from the Sackler School of Medicine and completed training at the Robert Cooke Allergy Institute in New York City. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, and the author of Dr. Dean Mitchell’s Allergy and Asthma Solution: The Ultimate Program for Reversing Your Symptoms One Drop at a Time. Dr. Dean Mitchell, M.D. has also been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Fitness Magazine, Dr. Oz and News NY 1. Dr. Mitchell also hosts the podcast The Smartest Doctor in the Room – a combination of a lively, personal and in-depth interview with top healthcare specialists.