Are you among those who feel tiredness all the time, often resort to doing their own research on the Internet, and sometimes desperately seek unproven therapies? It would seem you’re suffering from the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a disease that was first named in 1988 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this point of time you should at least get a sigh of relief to know that the medical establishment is beginning to believe that your suffering is real and you no need to suffer in the absence of adequate medical care and lingering skepticism.
It’s however not a new disease, and has been referred to by other names for years, but it still remains a debate for the health professionals whether it’s a physical ailment or just a psychological one. The illness ... was casually thought to be a bunch of upper-class, yuppie, white women who were whiners. But several years of research have confirmed that CFS is indeed a physical illness – just one that's not fully understood. An estimated one million Americans have the illness, and that it affects men, women and to some extent children – regardless of race, ethnicity or economic status.
Although symptoms can vary among CFS sufferers, their illness is typically marked by continual aches, overwhelming
fatigue and weakness that make it extremely difficult to perform daily tasks, like getting out of bed, dressing, and eating. Memory loss and confusion, and insomnia or unsatisfying sleep are also among the common symptoms.
The fatigue does not get better with bed rest. The illness can severely affect your routine work, and leisure activities, and cause physical and emotional symptoms that can persist for months or even years.
What Causes CFS?
Although researchers haven’t yet pinpointed a single cause for chronic fatigue syndrome, current research is exploring the possibility that people with CFS may have a dysfunction of the immune and central nervous systems. Scientists are also studying various metabolic abnormalities and risk factors (including genetic predisposition, age, sex, prior illness, environment, and stress) that may affect the development and course of the disease.
Some researchers think that one of the following factors may be the cause for CFS:
- iron-poor blood (anemia)
- low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- environmental allergies
- a body-wide yeast infection
- psychiatric or neurological problems
- endocrine dysfunction
- hypotension (low blood pressure)
Symptoms of CFS
Chronic fatigue syndrome is defined as a condition that involves a severe fatigue that usually has a clear starting point, often after a bout of illness, and that doesn't improve after rest. It makes you less able to cope with levels of activity in your work, or social life that were previously normal for you. CFS isn't the result of over-exercising. Even normal physical activity may make you feel very tired.
Common symptoms of CFS include:
- muscle and joint pain, but with no swelling
- fatigue that lasts more than 24 hours after exercise or exertion at a level that you usually used to be able to manage without feeling tired
- forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, or difficulty concentrating
- sleep disturbances - waking up feeling tired or unrested or having trouble getting to sleep
- flu-like symptoms
These symptoms may be caused by problems other than CFS. You should visit your doctor for advice. Your symptoms may vary throughout the day – some days they may be mild and other days more troublesome.
Diagnosing CFS
It remains a diagnosis of exclusion based largely on patient history and symptomatic criteria. CFS is a difficult condition to diagnose because there aren't usually any physical symptoms that can confirm the presence of the condition. You may need to have blood tests to rule out other illnesses, but there are no tests specifically for CFS.
If your doctor thinks you may have CFS, he or she may give you information about the condition and available treatments aimed at relieving your symptoms.
Treatment for CFS
As there is no known cause of CFS, current treatment remains symptomatic with a focus on management rather than cure. So, individuals with the best chance for improvement are those who remain as active as possible and who seek some degree of control over the course of their illness.
If you suspect that your child has CFS, look for a doctor who is willing to consider the problem as a medical condition along with psychiatric symptoms. The doctor should be supportive, concerned, and familiar with the diagnostic process.
