What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? (CFS)

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Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 23 Apr 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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CFS is a complex and debilitating disorder. The patient experiences profound fatigue (extreme tiredness). Sleep, bed rest and relaxing do not help the patient feel better. Physical or mental activity often make the patient feel worse.

CFS is also known as ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis)

The patient becomes aware of a significant drop in his/her ability to function.

It is not uncommon for CFS patients to suffer for years.

It is important that a doctor eliminate any other known illness when carrying out a diagnosis. Many other illnesses and conditions, which are often treatable, make a patient feel chronic fatigue, such as:

-- alcohol or substance abuse
-- autoimmune disease
-- bipolar affective disorders
-- cancer
-- chronic mononucleosis
-- eating disorders
-- hormonal disorders
-- hypothyroidism
-- major depressive disorders
-- multiple chemical sensitivities
-- myalgic encephalomyelitis
-- neurasthenia
-- obesity
-- reactions to prescription drugs
-- schizophrenia
-- sleep apnea and narcolepsy
-- subacute infections
-- fibromyalgia syndrome

How Is A Diagnosis Made?

According to the CDC, a patient must satisfy two criteria to receive a diagnosis of CFS:

1. Six months or more of chronic fatigue, which is not connected to any other known medical condition.

2. Have four or more of the following symptoms at the same time:

-- substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
-- sore throat
-- tender lymph nodes
-- muscle pain
-- multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
-- headaches of a new type
-- pattern or severity
-- unrefreshing sleep
-- post-exertional malaise which lasts over 24 hours (you feel unwell for longer than 24 hours after exerting yourself)

The patient must have had these symptoms (four of them at the same time) for six consecutive months (or recurring very often).

The British criteria is slightly different for diagnosis - Click Here.

Treatment

Click here and go to this CDC page for useful information.

CFS is difficult to diagnose and it is estimated that most sufferers do not know they have it.

Useful Links

-- CFIDS Association of America

-- Many pages on CFS on the CDC web site

-- CFS News - A web site with many links

What is Tiredness?

For more information on what tiredness is and how to beat it, please see:
What is Tiredness or Fatigue? How Can I Beat Tiredness? Why am I Tired? Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
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