You got sick, had chills, sweats, body aches, maybe a headache or congestions, after a few days of chicken soup and rest most of these symptoms disappear… EXCEPT the FATIGUE.
It doesn’t seem to matter how much you sleep, or how much caffeine you drink you seem to always be hitting a wall.
For many years scientists have know about something call “post viral” fatigue syndrome(PVFS). The symptoms related to this syndrome can range depending on the individual, the preceding viral trigger, but may include fatigue, lack of focus (“brain fog”), fatigue after exertion, sometimes body aches.
Much of the research on post viral fatigue syndrome overlaps with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia(Myalgic encephalomyelitis). The theories/literature around the cause, show that a virus triggers the release of cytokines (chemical messengers), which in turn triggers inflammation. Short term inflammation is what allows our body to fight off the virus, however in these chronic cases, the immune system doesn’t get out of fight mode.
This ongoing immune activation, and inflammation in turn also puts stress on an important organelle in our cells call the mitochondria (also know as the powerhouse of the cell). Mitochondria function to produce energy in the form of something called ATP – adenosine triphosphate. Think about it as recharging your cellular batteries.
This is a huge topic to cover in one blog post, the take away from this is that not only do you need to support your immune system to clear the virus, but inflammation and cellular nutrition can play a big role in chronic cases.
If you or someone you know is suffering after a viral infection, consider scheduling an appointment to discuss some the individual treatment that may help support recovery.