What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome All About

If you want to know “what is chronic fatigue syndrome,” then CFS awareness campaigns hope to answer the question. Many people feel tired all the time, especially if they’re working long hours or enduring high levels of stress, yet not everyone has everything on the chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms list. If an awareness campaign hasn’t come through your town, then you may want to do some investigating of your own online so you can learn more about the overwhelming exhaustion and tiredness that affects at least 4 million diagnosed Americans, and possibly 4 million more who haven’t sought treatment.

A good place to start your search to learn about chronic fatigue syndrome is the comprehensive site run by eMedicine Health (www.emedicinehealth.com/chronic_fatigue_syndrome/article_em.htm). In the chronic fatigue overview, you will learn that the signs and symptoms of CFS include 4 or more of the following: problems with short-term memory or concentration, tender lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle pain, joint pain without redness or swelling, headaches, tiredness even after sleep and extreme exhaustion lasting for over 24 hours following physical or mental exertion. These symptoms last more than six months. You will also learn that chronic fatigue affects “tend of thousands of people,” mostly young to middle aged women.

After reading about “what is chronic fatigue syndrome,” you may suspect you fit the definition of this illness. You may wonder what’s next if you were to see a doctor about your condition. Under the “Exams and Tests” section of the site, you’ll learn about all the various ways your doctor can rule out other conditions to make a better diagnosis. The doctor may begin with a mental health screening and tests of thyroid, adrenal and liver function. Blood tests can look for extremely low erythocyte sedimentation rates, and antibody tests to look for the CFS virus. CT scans and MRIs can rule out central nervous systems disorders too.

In response to the question “What is chronic fatigue syndrome?” many doctors will say, currently, it is just a set of signs and symptoms. Since there is no known cause or cure, all doctors can do is prescribe various treatments for the related symptoms. For instance, pain, depression, lethargy and poor sleep quality may be treated through NSAIDS, low-dose tricyclic antidepressants, anxiolytic agents, stimulants, anti-microbial and anti-allergy therapy. Other patients find reprieve through massage, acupuncture, therapeutic touch or herbal supplements as well. More information can be found at the eMedicine Health website.

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