'Chronic fatigue syndrome flare-ups caused by straining muscles and nerves'

Remy

Administrator
And from the "water is wet" school of research...

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine published in PLOS ONE shows that symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, a complex and disabling multisystem disorder, can be provoked by imposing a mild to moderate strain to the muscles and nerves.

Eighty individuals, 60 with CFS and 20 without CFS, reported their levels of fatigue, body pain, lightheadedness, concentration difficulties and headache every five minutes while undergoing 15 minutes of either a passive supine straight leg raise -- the raising and holding up of one of an individual's legs while they lie on their back on an exam table -- or a sham leg raise that did not cause strain.

Participants were contacted 24 hours later and again reported their symptoms. Compared to those with CFS who underwent the sham leg raise, individuals with CFS who underwent the passive leg raise that actually strained their muscles and nerves reported significantly increased body pain and concentration difficulties during the procedure. After 24 hours, these same individuals who underwent the true strain also reported greater symptom intensity for lightheadedness and the overall combined score for symptoms. The individuals with CFS who underwent the true strain also reported more symptoms during, and 24 hours after, the true strain compared to individuals without CFS.

"These findings have practical implications for understanding why exercise and the activities of daily living might be capable of provoking CFS symptoms," said Kevin Fontaine, Ph.D., professor and chair of the UAB School of Public Health Department of Health Behavior and a co-author of the paper. "If simply holding up the leg of someone with CFS to a degree that produces a mild to moderate strain is capable of provoking their symptoms, prolonged or excessive muscle strain beyond the usual range of motion that occurs during daily activities might also produce symptom flares."

As Peter Rowe, M.D., lead author and director of Johns Hopkins Children's Center Chronic Fatigue Clinic, noted in the article, "The lengthwise strain applied to the nerves and muscles of the lower limb is capable of increasing symptom intensity in individuals with CFS for up to 24 hours, indicating that increased mechanical sensitivity may be a contributor to the provocation of symptoms in this disorder."

Rowe and Fontaine, and their physical therapist collaborator Rick Violand, intend to extend this work to further understand the effects that strains to the muscles and nerves have on CFS, as well as whether specific physical therapy methods could be used to improve neuromuscular function to reduce symptoms.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
  1. Peter C. Rowe, Kevin R. Fontaine, Megan Lauver, Samantha E. Jasion, Colleen L. Marden, Malini Moni, Carol B. Thompson, Richard L. Violand. Neuromuscular Strain Increases Symptom Intensity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (7): e0159386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159386
 

Carrie Gordon

New Member
This is definitly true, and I know that exercise provokes strain on nerves and muscles and causes more symptoms, cognitive, pain, etc.
 

Cort

Founder of Health Rising and Phoenix Rising
Staff member
I hope @Merida looks at this.

I must say that is one of most interesting and strangest insights regarding ME/CFS. It takes a very good clinician to find something like this...

Check out this on mast cells possibly causing this problem...who knew????

Second, tension from the SLR is transmitted from the epineurium of the sciatic nerve to the dural sleeves of the associated nerve roots and to the dural tube within the spinal canal [22,26]. Mast cells are distributed throughout the nervous system, including in the dura. Mast cells are also known to degranulate in response to stretch [38, 39]. The release of histamine, prostaglandins, and other biologically active substances in mast cells would have the potential to cause both acute and delayed symptoms in response to SLR. Mast cell activation has been hypothesized to be a pathophysiologic factor in CFS [40], as well as in the pathogenesis of symptoms in subsets of patients with postural tachycardia syndrome [41] and joint hypermobility syndromes [42], two co-morbid conditions with an increased prevalence in CFS [43].

And from the "water is wet" school of research...


Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
  1. Peter C. Rowe, Kevin R. Fontaine, Megan Lauver, Samantha E. Jasion, Colleen L. Marden, Malini Moni, Carol B. Thompson, Richard L. Violand. Neuromuscular Strain Increases Symptom Intensity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (7): e0159386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159386
 

Issie

Well-Known Member
And @Cort, to make it even worse - not only can exertion cause mast cell degranulation but so can strong emotion, getting too hot and some foods can trigger it. As can sex and standing for too long in one place. Oh, there's more.......but you get the idea. Having POTS, MCAS and EDS altogether is not fun. Glad they are finally proving what we have been telling them.

Issie
 

Cort

Founder of Health Rising and Phoenix Rising
Staff member
And @Cort, to make it even worse - not only can exertion cause mast cell degranulation but so can strong emotion, getting too hot and some foods can trigger it. As can sex and standing for too long in one place. Oh, there's more.......but you get the idea. Having POTS, MCAS and EDS altogether is not fun. Glad they are finally proving what we have been telling them.

Issie
Mast cells sound like a good target for ME/CFS research....
 

Merida

Well-Known Member
@Cort
Thank you, Cort, for the information. A stretched dura - mast cell degranulation. Wow. Thank you. I have new issues - chronic kidney disease in one kidney only, and huge blood pressure spikes. Will try to find appropriate forum to post.

We are so incredibly complex. Feeling weary.
 

tester

New Member
@Cort
Thank you, Cort, for the information. A stretched dura - mast cell degranulation. Wow. Thank you. I have new issues - chronic kidney disease in one kidney only, and huge blood pressure spikes. Will try to find appropriate forum to post.

We are so incredibly complex. Feeling weary.
Darn - good luck with those!
 

Issie

Well-Known Member
@Cort
Thank you, Cort, for the information. A stretched dura - mast cell degranulation. Wow. Thank you. I have new issues - chronic kidney disease in one kidney only, and huge blood pressure spikes. Will try to find appropriate forum to post.

We are so incredibly complex. Feeling weary.
I reversed CKD stage 3 by going mostly vegan. Animal products are very hard on the kidneys.

Issie
 

Merida

Well-Known Member
@Issie
Thank you. Have been reading your posts here and on the Dysautonomia forum. What a journey. You are amazing . Wow. Also got dx of grade 1 left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Only took 18 years. This diastolic dysfunction seems to be exactly what Newton and the Newcastle Team have reported. Must find right forum to discuss this. Will see a cardiologist with a specialty in dysautonomia next week. Will know more then. Hopefully.
 

Issie

Well-Known Member
@Issie
Thank you. Have been reading your posts here and on the Dysautonomia forum. What a journey. You are amazing . Wow. Also got dx of grade 1 left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Only took 18 years. This diastolic dysfunction seems to be exactly what Newton and the Newcastle Team have reported. Must find right forum to discuss this. Will see a cardiologist with a specialty in dysautonomia next week. Will know more then. Hopefully.
Glad my journey and my sharing it is helping you. That is my hope, to help others. Sounds like your body is showing some similar issues as mine. Have you been checked for protozoa and mold? Let us hear what you find out. My dyastolic dysfunction is better. Along with my kidney function. I do feel my diet was key. Then addressing autoimmune function and doing detox. Inflammation is a biggie, but also is showing the immune system is trying to fight. It's sort of "which comes first". I'm making steps in the right direction. Keep us posted.

(Ha, you will be reading alot if you are trying to follow my post in both places. But, glad it's helping.)

Issie
 

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