What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? What Causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

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Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Article Date: 08 Apr 2010 - 0:00 PDT

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a condition of prolonged and severe tiredness or weariness (fatigue) that is not relieved by rest and is not directly caused by other conditions. To be diagnosed with this condition, your tiredness must be severe enough to decrease your ability to participate in ordinary activities by 50%.

According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a syndrome of persistent incapacitating weakness or fatigue, accompanied by nonspecific somatic symptoms, lasting at least 6 months, and not attributable to any known cause.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) is much more than just being tired a lot. People with ME/CFS are so run down that it interferes with their lives and can make it hard to function at all. Some people with ME/CFS say they have trouble staying on top of their responsibilities at home and on the job, while others are severely disabled and even bedridden. Furthermore, they're not just dealing with extreme fatigue but with a wide range of other symptoms, including flu-like symptoms and chronic pain.

When referring to chronic fatigue syndrome, patients and patient advocates often prefer to call the condition chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) to convey the complexity of the illness and its profound impact on people's lives.

For unknown reasons CFS occurs most often in people in their 40s and 50s, more often in women than men, and is less prevalent among children and adolescents.

Employment rates through the past decade vary with over half unable to work and nearly two-thirds limited in their work because of their illness. More than half were on disability benefits or temporary sick leave, and less than a fifth worked full-time.

Literature on ME/CFS (by different names) dates back to the 1700s. Through the centuries, it's been falsely attributed to various causes and is only now beginning to be better understood by medical science.

What are the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

A symptom is something the patient senses and describes, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor notice. For example, drowsiness may be a symptom while dilated pupils may be a sign.

Symptoms of CFS are similar to those of most common viral infections (muscle aches, headache, and fatigue). They come on within a few hours or days and last for 6 months or more.

Examples of chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms include headaches, tender lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle pain, joint pain, feeling tired, and feeling discomfort after physical exertion. These symptoms either stay with a person or come and go for more than six months. It's important to note that the signs and symptoms are often similar to those of other health conditions.

Patients report critical reductions in levels of physical activity and a reduction in the complexity of activity has been observed, with reported impairment comparable to other fatiguing medical conditions such as late-stage AIDS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the effects of chemotherapy. CFS affects a person's functional status and well-being more than major medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, congestive heart failure, or type II diabetes mellitus. While some lead relatively normal lives, others are totally bed-ridden and unable to care for themselves.

What are the causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The cause of CFS is unknown. To discover possible triggers, researchers are studying the relationship between stress, the immune system, toxins, the central nervous system, and activation of latent virus.

Some researchers suspect it may be caused by a virus, such as Epstein-Barr virus or human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6). However, no specific virus has been identified as the cause.

Studies suggest that CFS may be caused by inflammation along the nervous system, and that this inflammation may be some sort of immune response or process.

Other factors such as age, prior illness, stress, environment, or genetics may also play a role.

Diagnosing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Since there is not a specific lab test that reliably identifies chronic fatigue syndrome, and because CFS closely resembles other illnesses such as mononucleosis, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and multiple sclerosis, the first diagnostic step usually involves a series of tests that will help the physician rule out other illnesses.

What are the treatment options for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The main goal of CFS treatment is to achieve symptom relief.

CFS patients should avoid overexertion and physical and emotional stress. Moderate exercise that is monitored by a doctor or physical therapist may improve symptoms. Light exercise and stretching four hours before bedtime may help with sleep.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, activity pacing, and envelope theory can help moderate activity and spread it evenly throughout the day, without overexertion.

Medications used to treat specific symptoms of CFS include antidepressants to help improve sleep and relieve depression, anti-anxiety drugs to treat panic disorders, acetaminophen (Tylenol); aspirin (Bayer); and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen (eg, Advil, Motrin) to treat pain and fever.

Stimulants may be helpful, but strong stimulants may cause the "push-crash cycle" and lead to relapse.

Preventing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

There are no guidelines for preventing CFS because the cause is unknown.

Written by Sy Kraft (B.A.)
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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