Chronic Fatigue Articles

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

A variety of studies by CDC and others have shown that between 1 and 4 million Americans suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). They are seriously impaired, at least a quarter are unemployed or on disability because of CFS. Yet, only about half have consulted a physician for their illness. The earlier a person with CFS receives medical treatment the greater the likelihood that the illness will resolve. Equally important, about 40% of people in the general population who report symptoms of CFS have a serious, treatable, previously unrecognized medical or psychiatric condition (such as diabetes, thyroid disease, substance abuse). CFS is a serious illness and poses a dilemma for patients, their families, and health care providers. This web site aims to provide evidence-based information concerning the illness, its manifestations, and treatment. read more...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is one of several names given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder of uncertain cause/causes. Based on a 1999 study of adults in the United States, CFS is thought to affect approximately 4 per 1,000 adults.[1] For unknown reasons, CFS occurs more often in women, and adults in their 40s and 50s.[2][3] The illness is estimated to be less prevalent in children and adolescents, but study results vary as to the degree. CFS often manifests with widespread myalgia and arthralgia, cognitive difficulties, chronic mental and physical exhaustion, often severe, and other characteristic symptoms in a previously healthy and active person. Despite promising avenues of research, there remains no assay or pathological finding which is widely accepted to be diagnostic of CFS. read more...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that doesn't improve with bed rest and may worsen with physical or mental activity. Chronic fatigue syndrome may occur after an infection, such as a cold or viral illness. The onset can be during or shortly after a time of great stress, or chronic fatigue syndrome come on gradually without a clear starting point or obvious cause. Women are diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome far more often than men are. However, it's unclear whether chronic fatigue syndrome affects women more frequently or if women report it more often than men do. read more...

Part of making the changes to your life that come along with chronic illness is re-defining roles within your family. This is hard for any family, and even harder when some family members are resisting the change. Getting everyone on the same page can help, so I came up with this sample pledge you can make to each other. You can change or add to it to fit your circumstances. I pledge to try to keep our life as normal as possible while making the changes necessary to deal with my illness. Please help me make these changes and understand that while I need them, I don't want them. I pledge to be honest with you about my symptoms and how they limit me. Please understand that I'm not exaggerating my limitations and I wish I didn't have them. I pledge to allow you to resent my illness and to understand that you resent it and not me. Please understand that I have these resentments as well, and while I'll need to vent about them at times, these feelings are not directed at you nor do I expect you to "fix" my problems. I pledge to do all that I can to treat my illness and manage my symptoms, which includes rest and pacing myself. Please understand that these things help me stay functional and are not "laziness." read more...

Almost everyone experiences fatigue from time to time. But for 800,000 U.S. adults, the fatigue is crushing, unrelieved by rest and accompanied by a constellation of other punishing symptoms. They suffer from chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). Also widely recognized as chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS, its symptoms are debilitating enough to destroy good health and active lifestyles, end fulfilling careers and devastate families. More people suffer from CFIDS/CFS than MS, lung cancer or AIDS. Yet 80% have not been diagnosed by a medical provider. Preliminary studies indicate that for CFIDS/CFS, as with other chronic conditions, early detection, diagnosis and treatment ultimately yield better health outcomes. read more...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder that causes extreme fatigue. This fatigue is not the kind of tired feeling that goes away after you rest. Instead, it lasts a long time and limits your ability to do ordinary daily activities. Symptoms of CFS include fatigue for 6 months or more and experiencing other problems such as muscle pain, memory problems, headaches, pain in multiple joints, sleep problems, sore throat and tender lymph nodes. Since other illnesses can cause similar symptoms, CFS is hard to diagnose. No one knows what causes CFS. It is most common in women in their 40s and 50s, but anyone can have it. It can last for years. There is no cure for CFS, so the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms. Medicines may treat pain, sleep disorders and other problems. read more...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (also called CFS) is a disorder without a known cause, although CFS may be related to a previous infection. CFS is a state of chronic fatigue that exists without other explanation for 6 months or more and is accompanied by cognitive difficulties (problems with short-term memory or concentration). You may have CFS if you meet the following criteria: If you have severe chronic fatigue for 6 months or longer and all other known conditions that could cause fatigue have been excluded by your health care provider. If you simultaneously have 4 or more of the following symptoms: significant problems with short-term memory or concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle pain, pain in several joints without swelling or redness, headaches that are different in pattern or severity from previous headaches, feeling tired and unrefreshed even after sleeping, and extreme tiredness lasting more than 24 hours after you exercise or exert yourself read more...

People with CFS experience fatigue that lasts a long time. Symptoms may include headaches, sore throat, tender or painful areas in your neck or armpits, unexplained muscle soreness, pain that moves from joint to joint without swelling or redness, loss of memory or concentration, trouble sleeping and extreme tiredness after exercising that lasts more than 24 hours. These and other symptoms often won't go away or keep coming back for 6 months or more. CFS may occur after an illness such as a cold or it can start during or shortly after a period of high stress. It can also come on slowly without any clear starting point or any obvious cause. In some cases, CFS can last for years. read more...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease that was first named in the 1980s. Although it is not a new disease, and has been referred to by other names since the 1700s, it still remains the subject of a great deal of controversy. Even now, as increasing numbers of people are being diagnosed with CFS, many people inside and outside the health professions still doubt its existence or maintain that it's a psychological ailment. But several years of research have confirmed that CFS is indeed a physical illness - just one that's not fully understood. An estimated half a million people in the United States have a CFS-like condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). read more...

At 21 years of age, Sarah Jones* felt like she was falling apart. Once an energetic cheerleader and member of a professional dance team, full of energy and life, Jones gradually found herself bedridden and unable to work. As time went on she became more confused as to why she was feeling constantly tired. Then one day a friend of hers, who was a nurse, asked if she had ever heard of chronic fatigue syndrome. "My doctor back then didn't believe in chronic fatigue syndrome," Jones says. "It was still up in the air; people didn't believe it existed. I think it's better now, but back then it wasn't." read more...

The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is unknown. Some researchers suspect it may be caused by a virus, such as Epstein-Barr virus or human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6). However, no distinct viral cause has been identified. Recent studies have shown that chronic fatigue syndrome may be caused by inflammation of pathways in the nervous system, and that this inflammation may be some sort of immune response or process. CFS may occur when a viral illness is complicated by a problem with the body's immune response. Other factors such as age, prior illness, stress, environment, or genetics may also play a role. CFS most commonly occurs in women ages 30 to 50. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) describes CFS as a distinct disorder with specific symptoms and physical signs, based on ruling out other possible causes. The number of persons with CFS is unknown. read more...

I was recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. This is recognized by mainstream doctors and research is being conducted at some of the most prestigious universities in the country and yet it is frequently overlooked. I strongly believe that everyone with chronic fatigue should be checked for this condition, especially if they snore. I have also been having good progress by taking read more...

A person with CFS feels completely worn-out and overtired. This extreme tiredness makes it hard to do the daily tasks that most of us do without thinking — like dressing, bathing, or eating. Sleep or rest does not make the tiredness go away. It can be made worse by moving, exercising, or even thinking. CFS can happen over time or come on suddenly. People who get CFS over time get more and more tired over weeks or months. People who get CFS suddenly feel fine one day and then feel extremely tired the next. A person with CFS may have muscle pain, trouble focusing, or insomnia (not being able to sleep). The extreme tiredness may come and go. In some cases the extreme tiredness never goes away. The extreme tiredness must go on for at least 6 months before a diagnosis of CFS can be made. read more...

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