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This is a typical example of many of the CFS/ME patients that I see. The young trendy student who lived life to the full, except at exam times. She complained of frequent headaches, drowsiness and lethargy, plus abdominal pain. Her G.P. initially suspected that she was suffering from appendicitis. He then investigated a possible kidney infection. Eventually a consultant diagnosed that she was undergoing ‘some form of stress related disorder’.
On examination I detected the familiar restricted dorsal spine, which associated tension within the surrounding musculature. The postural problem was mostly related to the position she adopted whilst studying. She also had certain personal problems at that time, which contributed to her overall level of stress.
The treatment helped relieve all the symptoms in only seven sessions. These were spread out over the year, since she visited my practice during college holidays. To restore proper mobility to the thoracic spine was relatively easy. The patient was young, and the mechanical difficulty in the back had only been a recent predicament. Mobility exercises were prescribed, and she managed to finish her course without CFS/ME giving any further cause for concern.
I have treated quite a few students with similar symptoms as Miss D, and thankfully they have all responded well to the manual therapy. CFS/ME seems to affect the student population more than most groups. Teachers and nurses are also in high risk groups. The obvious question is WHY?
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The answer lies in the postural strain put on the body when carrying out their different occupations. In the case of the students the diagram speaks volumes. Teachers and nurses also have jobs which can place immense stress on the upper back. Whether it be crouched over a young pupil or a sick patient all day the end result will still be the same i.e. too much mechanical strain on the thoracic spine. If the person already has a bad posture then the occupation will only serve to exacerbate the problem. If the same individual is suffering from other forms of stress such as emotional strain in a marriage, or chemical poisoning in the environment, or they suffer from many allergies, then the body may not be able to cope for too long in this situation. The sympathetic nervous system which helps the body cope with stress will be bombarded from all sides and eventually break down.
Another dramatic case also involving a student started three years ago. An 18 year old school girl spent all day ill in bed for three months prior to the commencement of my treatment.
She had fallen ill suddenly in early spring, during the build up to her A-level exams, in the hope of entering university after the Summer recess. She was a grade A student who was expected to receive just reward for the hard work and effort she had put into many years of study. Instead she could hardly move out of her bedroom. She could not concentrate or read any book, never mind the school textbooks. Besides the severe fatigue she suffered with pain in the shoulders, arms and legs, headaches and dizziness.
This girl had been diagnosed as suffering with CFS/ME by a specialist who advised her to live as restful and healthy existence as possible, and the disease would eventually burn itself out. Her mother and father heard about the results that I was achieving with CFS/ME cases and brought her for a consultation. She was virtually carried in by her parents who seemed desperate and looked as though they had little hope in an osteopath being able to help. Quite frankly her condition was very serious and she was obviously severely affected by the CFS/ME Once I had examined her, I found the mechanical problems common to all my CFS/ME patients. The family were surprised by my enthusiasm and that I was so positive that I could help the girl.
With an intensive course of treatment the same girl, at the end of the summer, had restarted her course work in preparation for the next year examinations. Although her condition was by no means cured, she was able to get out and about and study for a few hours a day. In time, with further treatment the back became much more mobile which eventually led to a total recovery.
After only a one year preparation she took three A levels and passed with three grade As. She was accepted by the university of her choice and she has already completed nearly half her course. She is passing all her university exams with high grades, and is also enjoying student life to the full, including late night parties. She even walks a couple of miles a day to the college from her ‘digs’ and last summer she spent six weeks backpacking around Europe alone.
She still returns every few months for a check up and to maintain mobility in her upper spine and the relaxation of the surrounding musculature. She continues with the exercise routine that I prescribe to all my CFS/ME patients.
The sympathetic nervous system spreads throughout the entire body affecting every type of tissue, but more importantly receiving messages from all the tissues e.g. skin, muscle, blood vessel, gland, lymph vessel etc. The latter forms an important network of small channels carrying lymph, which is a transparent bodily fluid collected from all tissues and eventually returned to the blood. The lymphatic system is basically a waste disposal unit within the body which flushes out the waste products of the cells in the body. The lymph vessels join to glands which are known to enlarge in cases of CFS/ME The fluid motility in the lymph is due to pressure from the blood flow in the surrounding blood vessels, and so the lymphatic tissue will be engorged with fluid if the blood circulation is not working properly. This is what I have found occurring in my CFS/ME patients resulting in pain and swelling in different areas of the lymphatic system.
The most affected area seems to be the breast tissue, which receives its nerve supply direct from the sympathetic nerves of the mid thoracic region. Patients with CFS/ME complain of tenderness in their chest, with many women suffering from chronic mastitis. Men have breast tissue but not as much as women and so male patients can have painful chests as well.
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If the bras that women wear are not properly fitted they might further irritate the glandular tissue of the breast. Also if the wrong size bra is worn it will add extra strain to the thoracic spine and the shoulders. These factors could lead to an irritation of the sympathetic nerves in this region, and so this aggravating factor needs to be addressed in the treatment of this disorder.
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