It is a normal reaction to feel exhausted after a stressful day at work, an intense workout, or because of lack of sleep. But if we talk about chronic fatigue syndrome, it is more than simply being exhausted. It is a persistent disorder that cannot be relieved by rest or managing one specific area of life.
The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can frequently worsen after engaging in any physical or mental activity, making day-to-day living challenging. This post discusses this disorder and other relevant details.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). It is a long-term condition characterized by extreme exhaustion that can be debilitating. Chronic fatigue symptoms last longer than six months and do not improve with rest.
The disease might make daily tasks, studies, and career challenging.
How is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosed?
Right now, no single standardized test for chronic fatigue syndrome is available. However, you may find many online chronic fatigue syndrome tests that can help you detect if you are at risk of the disorder.
Doctors can reach a diagnosis by a combination of methods, which include taking the medical history of the patient and obtaining details about their symptoms. These include the symptoms’ extent, severity, and duration. This information also helps to rule out other possible medical conditions that present similar symptoms.
Some physical medical tests are also carried out. In addition to this, the recognized diagnostic criteria for CFS developed by the
- Severe and persistent fatigue. It has a new or clear onset, is unrelated to exertion, is not alleviated by rest, is not caused by other reasons, and makes it difficult to carry out pre-illness activities.
- Post-exertional malaise, which is the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental exertion.
- Unrefreshing sleep.
Furthermore, at least one of the following symptoms should also be present:
- Cognitive impairment which involves problems with thinking or executive function that worsen by exertion, effort, stress, or time pressure.
- Orthostatic intolerance which involves worsening of symptoms in an upright posture if held for long.
ME/CFS Symptoms
The symptoms of many health issues can be mistaken for CFS. However, medical guidelines allow doctors to diagnose this condition correctly. These include:
- Extreme fatigue from any physical or mental activity.
- Problems with memory or cognitive skills.
- Dizziness that intensifies with sitting or standing and reduces when lying down.
- Muscles or joints ache.
- Unrefreshing sleep.
- Headaches (especially migraines).
- Tender lymph nodes or sore throat.
- Digestion problems (nausea, vomiting, and irritable bowel syndrome).
- Weakness.
Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
It is still unclear what causes chronic fatigue syndrome. A lot of factors could be at play:
- There may be biological causes of CFS. It seems that developing chronic fatigue syndrome
runs in families[3] . As a result, certain people can have an increased risk of illness from birth. - After getting over a bacterial or viral infection, some people develop the signs of chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Both
physical and emotional trauma[4] may increase the chance of having CFS. Some sufferers assert that they had recent surgery, an injury, or significant mental stress before the commencement of their symptoms. Researchers[5] discovered variations between individuals with ME/CFS and healthy individuals in how their bodies’ cells obtain energy. To determine how these findings might be causing the sickness, more research is necessary.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment
The goal of treatment for CFS is to reduce symptoms. For example, managing sleep issues, depression, and pains frequently associated with CFS. The most annoying or incapacitating symptoms ought to be managed first. Moreover, any discovered comorbidity needs to be treated.
Treatment options include the following:
- Therapy. Psychotherapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strongly emphasize how thinking affects people’s feelings and behavior. They can assist people with chronic fatigue syndrome in realizing how their anxieties about engaging in physical activity result in actions that eventually make them feel more worn out and impaired.
- Exercise. Gradual increases in physical activity are part of graded exercise therapy, which aims to improve function. Being unwell limits activity levels and can cause deconditioning, exhaustion, pain, stiffness, anxiety, and depression. Exercise can help reverse this downward spiral by boosting the person’s fitness levels, lowering fatigue, pain, and stiffness, and improving mood.
- Educational intervention. Patients with CFS who receive
pragmatic therapy[6] from specially trained nurses experience less fatigue. An agreed treatment plan of gradually increasing exercise is part of the strategy, including education about CFS. Although pragmatic rehabilitation is intriguing because it does not require professional advice, additional research is needed to assess whether or not it can continue to be beneficial. - Medications. Some medications can help with CFS symptoms. Analgesics and non-opiate pain medications for pain relief, antidepressants for people with anxiety and depression, stimulants to fight fatigue, and steroids for inflammation are a few examples.
Summing Up
Each patient experiences symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome differently, but there are certain medical guidelines that help to make the right diagnosis. Although there is no treatment for CFS, there are over-the-counter and prescription drugs that may help along with psychotherapy and other interventions. Fatigue itself can be a symptom of different conditions, so if it lasts for a long time and disrupts your daily functioning, consider consulting a doctor. Keeping a health journal to record your activities, symptoms, and any changes in your energy level will help you prepare for an appointment with a health professional.
