Chronic Fatigue
Who It's For
Functional medicine support tailored to uncover the root cause of complex symptoms.
Consult with our care team to understand next steps and build a personalized plan.
Serving Denver Metro, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs.
About This Condition
Chronic fatigue refers to persistent, often disabling tiredness or exhaustion that is not proportional to recent activity, is not relieved by normal rest, and interferes with daily functioning. Patients may describe feeling “drained,” “wiped out,” or “never rested,” even after a full night of sleep. Fatigue can be physical, mental, or both, and often coexists with sleep disturbance, pain, mood symptoms, and cognitive complaints.
In clinical practice, chronic fatigue is a common, non-specific symptom rather than a single disease entity. It may arise in the context of primary sleep disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, endocrine or metabolic disturbances, cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, chronic infections, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, medication side effects, deconditioning, or post-infectious and post-stress states. A subset of patients meet criteria for specific syndromes such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or post-viral fatigue syndromes.
Evaluation focuses on characterizing the pattern and impact of fatigue, identifying red flags for serious underlying illness, and systematically screening for common reversible contributors. Management is individualized and usually multimodal, addressing sleep, activity patterns, comorbid conditions, medications, and psychosocial factors while monitoring for evolution of more specific diagnoses over time.
Common Symptoms
- •Persistent physical and/or mental fatigue that is disproportionate to recent exertion
- •Feeling unrefreshed or “never rested” upon waking, even after adequate time in bed
- •Reduced stamina and worsening fatigue with typical daily activities or exercise
- •Difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, or “brain fog”
- •Increased effort required to perform routine tasks at work, home, or school
- •Non-restorative sleep, fragmented sleep, or difficulty maintaining sleep
- •Mood changes such as low mood, irritability, or increased emotional sensitivity
- •Subjective weakness, heaviness, or sense of being “run down” without focal neurologic deficits on exam
Conventional Treatment Options
Hormone and nutrient assessment
Sleep optimization
Stress and pacing
Our Functional Medicine Approach
Who It's For
Adults with low energy not explained by simple lifestyle factors.
Expected Outcomes
- More stable energy
- Better daytime function