Other Treatment

As with many conditions that have no clear cause and no effective medical treatment, there are many treatments outside of conventional medicine that some people recommend for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). None have been shown to be effective.

But there are safe nontraditional therapies—acupuncture, yoga, or massage therapy, for example—that can relieve pain and stress, ease muscle tension, help you feel better and healthier, and improve your outlook and quality of life.

Other treatment choices

Some popular complementary therapies include:

• Acupuncture.
• Massage therapy.
• Yoga.

What to think about

None of these complementary therapies has been proven effective in treating CFS, but some people have reported feeling better after using them. If you have CFS and are thinking about trying a complementary therapy, get the facts before you begin. Consider these questions with your doctor:

• Is it safe? Do not use treatments that could harm you, such as unusual diets or excessive vitamin or mineral supplements. (A daily multiple vitamin is okay. Try to avoid taking more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance for any vitamin or mineral unless your doctor prescribes it.)
• Is the product manufactured reliably? Vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal products are not subject to the same regulations as medicines. Ingredients may vary from one maker to another. Read the labels carefully and choose well-known brands you trust.
• Does it work? It may be hard to tell whether a treatment is working. Keep in mind that when you get better after treatment, the treatment may not be the reason for your improvement. Symptoms of CFS often improve on their own, or the treatment may be causing a placebo effect, which makes you feel better.
• How much does it cost? An expensive treatment that may or may not help you may not be worth the high cost. Beware of products or treatment providers who require a large financial investment up front or a series of costly treatments.
• Will it improve my general health? Even if complementary therapies are not effective in treating CFS, some of them are safe and healthy habits that may improve your general well-being and may be worth trying.

For more information, see the topic Complementary Medicine.

With a hard-to-treat disease like CFS, it can be tempting to jump at the promise of an effective treatment. Be careful. Avoid products that claim to have a secret ingredient or to cure CFS.