Breakthrough In The Diagnosis Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

There is good news for people who have been living with chronic fatigue syndrome. This has come on the heels of some stellar new research that has been conducted pertaining to the causation of this disease.

In fact, what researchers have found is that chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME, is a calcium ion channel impairment condition.

This is really good news for people with this condition, who have often been told that their condition is imagined. No, what this announcement does is prove that this condition is far from imagined; it is indeed one hundred percent real.

According to Professor Don Staines, who is a clinical professor at Griffith University’s National Center for Neuroimmunolgy and Emerging Diseases (NCNED), the findings were a ‘watershed’ moment.

He goes on to say in an interview to Hack, that they have demonstrated that there are impairments in a group of calcium ion channels and that this causes the impaired entry of calcium ions into the cell. What this really means in simpler terms is the fact that there is a less amount of calcium in the cells and in the ion channels of the cells, and this affects their ability to function properly.

So, why are calcium ions really all that important? You will see that they are actually critical for a whole range of biochemical as well as genetic functions. In the case of people that have been affected by chronic fatigue syndrome, you will find that the affected cells can be present in the neurological, cardiovascular, immune and even other systems of the body. That is indeed why there is such a large spectrum of symptoms and severities amongst those that are living with this condition.

You will see this discovery means the researchers out there can now develop a definitive diagnostic test, in order to determine whether one has ME/CFs or not. That does not mean the test is already in place. Professor Staines will have us believe there is some way to go before they get a diagnostic test, but he is confident a test will be ready in the future.

He further goes on to reveal that they are currently in the process of discovering different drugs, that might be useful in the laboratory setting before they move on to clinical trials.

According to Lyn, the President and Secretary for the ME/CFS/FM Support Association Queensland, who is also a CFS patient, the recent breakthrough has been nothing short of wonderful. She goes on to say that this will make the condition more legitimate and there are more doctors who will take patients seriously. She says this in an interview to Hack, where she also goes on to say that while she has now got a great doctor and support network, that was not always the case. She says for her, what the biggest takeaway from this breakthrough is is the fact that it is neither a physiological or psychological condition. In fact, it is pathological.

There are in fact roughly 2,40,000 people in Australia who are living with this condition, and they are often given medical advice to indulge in exercise or even cognitive behavioral therapy, which is the same therapy that is used by counselors when you visit them for mental health concerns. In fact, There are supporters as well as people who have the condition, who hope that this latest research goes a long way where it comes to removing the stigma of ‘being lazy’, that is associated with this syndrome.

Lyn is now hopeful this discovery will certainly assist her community in gaining access to better treatments and support. She also says this is a very hard illness to get that kind of support and that the research that is being done at Griffith is brilliant and they are very grateful for it.

The future is indeed bright for people who have chronic fatigue syndrome. This new research has indeed changed the way people perceive this condition.

You might also wish to check out our article on the role of the enterovirus in CFS.