ANNAPOLIS, Md., August 1, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- A recent breakthrough, double-blind study shows that the previously untreatable diseases Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and its painful partner Fibromyalgia (FMS) can now be effectively treated following a unique integrative therapy developed by Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.
Dr. Teitelbaum's research appears as the lead article in "The Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" (vol. 8 issue 2, 2001) and shows an average improvement of 76% after 3 months of treatment, and a dramatic 90% average improvement after 2 years (p less than .0001 versus placebo) using his unique integrated approach. Close to 50% of those studied experienced a 133% increase in energy and a 58% reduction in pain after 3 months. Overall in the active group, energy levels increased by 87% and pain decreased by 50% after 3 months of treatment.
"This is 25 to 30 times more effective than any treatment previously shown to be effective in long-term placebo controlled studies," says Dr. Teitelbaum, Director of the Annapolis Research Center for Effective FMS/CFIDS Therapies.
"At any given moment, over 25 million Americans (11.9% of the population) have disabling fatigue that's lasted at least a month," says Dr. Teitelbaum. "Over 6 million suffer from Fibromyalgia, making it one of the most common causes of chronic pain. Chronic Fatigue has steadily escalated in pace with rising stress levels, poor diet, increasing antibiotic use and pervasive pollution. The most insidious aspect of this silent epidemic is that it's routinely misdiagnosed and, unfortunately, sufferers are too exhausted to do anything about it."
Dr. Teitelbaum learned about the illness in 1975 when his own bout with CFS forced him to leave medical school for a year. Having recovered enough to return to his medical school training, he devoted the next 25 years to researching and developing effective therapies for these syndromes. He found that CFS affects the hypothalamus, a master control center in the brain, which is responsible for sleep, hormones, the immune system, and autonomic functions.
"If you are exhausted, achy, prone to 'brain fog,' insomnia, recurrent infections, bowel disorders, weight gain and have the sex-drive of a rock, and if these symptoms occur together, it's very probable that you have CFS," says Dr. Teitelbaum. "Fortunately, dramatic results can be achieved with this integrative approach, which combines the best of allopathic medicine and complementary therapies including nutrition, herbs, mind-body education and treatments. Because this a complex syndrome," he explains, "there is no 'magic bullet' cure. Treatment is most effective if you address the whole process instead of individual symptoms."
In order to make this treatment available to everyone who suffers from these conditions, Dr. Teitelbaum has developed a powerful program on his web site http://www.endfatigue.com that acts as an on-line 'computerized CFS specialist.' Patients can securely enter detailed medical information and receive treatment recommendations tailored to their individual cases. The website contains a network of patient support groups and over 700 health care professionals who have requested to be on Dr. Teitelbaum's referral list.
Dr. Teitelbaum's breakthrough book, From Fatigued to Fantastic! has sold over 200,000 copies since it was first published in 1996. The new, fully revised edition (Avery Publishing Group, August 2001) incorporates the most up-to-date findings from his latest research study.
Dr. Teitelbaum is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and practices in Annapolis, Maryland.
For more information please visit http://www.draznin.fws1.com/ or call: Dean Draznin Communications: Tony Ellis 641-472-6543 Dean Draznin 641-472-2257
ARC ANNAPOLIS RESEARCH CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE FIBROMYALGIA & CFIDS THERAPIES 466 Forelands Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, Tel: 410-573-5389, Fax: 410-266-6104 Jacob Teitelbaum, MD-Director Laurie Copeland Teitelbaum-Associate Director
-0-
CONTACT: Dean Draznin Communications
Tony Ellis
641-472-6543
Dean Draznin
641-472-2257