WHAT IS CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME?

First, let us define the terms:

1) Chronic: The condition has been present for more than 3-6 months

2) Fatigue: Is severe in nature, resting after activity does not cause one to awaken refreshed. Activities of daily living may have to be decreased just to allow one to function.

2a) Cognitive dysfunction: Brain fog or short term memory loss must also be present, some experts state that without Cognitive impairment, a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may not be made.

3) Syndrome: a collection of signs and symptoms which lead the physician to conclude that an illness exists.

General Information

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a devastating and complex disorder. People with CFS have overwhelming fatigue and a host of other symptoms that are not improved by bed rest and that can get worse after physical activity or mental exertion. They often function at a substantially lower level of activity than they were capable of before they became ill. Individuals with CFS experience an increased rate of depression and suicide rates as high as 25%. Social isolation occurs because others’ don’t believe they are ill as they do not usually appear ill and exhibit almost no physical symptoms.

Besides severe fatigue, other symptoms include muscle pain, impaired memory or mental concentration, insomnia, and post-exertion malaise lasting more than 24 hours. In some cases, CFS can persist for years.

Researchers have not yet identified what causes CFS, and there are no tests to diagnose CFS. Moreover, because many illnesses have fatigue as a symptom, doctors need to take care to rule out other conditions, which may be treatable.

Diagnosis

CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is a diagnosis of exclusion. Which means that the Doctor must check you for the recommended illnesses which can cause fatigue. You also need to have at least 4 out of 8 associated problems which would be indicative of CFS. Should a test reveal a problem which might cause fatigue, your doctor will treat that illness and your CFS might completely resolve.

Treatment Should all of the medical conditions which can cause fatigue not be found in your system, your doctor might attempt treating you with 1) Antidepressants 2) drugs such as Valium or 3)Stimulants, 4) CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) has shown to assist some patients with CFS.

Engage in 1) graded exercise, beginning with 2-4 minutes initially 2) practice decreasing stress 3) eat a well-balanced healthy diet 4) follow your doctor’s recommendation and inform him/her if something worsens your symptoms.

Avoid 1) social isolation 2) complete bed rest (this might worsen your symptoms) 3) St. John’s wort 4) high colonic enemas 5) Ginko 6) melatonin 7) Comfrey 8) Ma Haung 9) Hydrogen Peroxide injections. A complete list of substances to avoid and the reasons can be found in the following reference section.

Please contact your doctor should you feel you have CFS.

References

  • www3.niaid.nih.gov      — National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • www.cdc.gov/cfs –      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome      information
  • www.cfids.org — The      Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America
  • www.ncfsfa.org —      National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Association
  • www.theacpa.org —      American Chronic Pain Association
  • www.ampainsoc.org —      American Pain Society
  • www.iasp-pain.org —      International Association for the Study of Pain