| For the thousands of individuals who | | | | Researchers now believe that a virus, |
| currently suffer from Chronic Fatigue | | | | although not responsible for CFS, may cause |
| Syndrome (CFS), the causes of this mysterious | | | | damage to the neurological system of the |
| illness remain a mystery. Reputable medical | | | | individual who later suffers from symptoms of |
| institutions, including the Centers for | | | | CFS. |
| Disease Control have launched research | | | | |
| efforts into discovering the reasons why some | | | | During the course of what may well be a |
| individuals contract CFS and what can be done | | | | relatively harmless virus, areas of the brain |
| to alleviate the symptoms. | | | | may sustain damage which then results in the |
| | | | symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For |
| Originally termed "yuppie flu" by the media, | | | | some reason, this damage may be permanent or |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was thought to be | | | | transient - or at least the symptoms caused |
| caused by the Epstein Barr virus, or | | | | by the damage may be. Some individuals who |
| mononucleosis. In the late 1980's, it | | | | suffer from CFS find that their symptoms may |
| appeared that the only individuals who | | | | lessen or completely disappear in time, and |
| suffered from yuppie flu were the young, | | | | still others find that they may experience a |
| upwardly mobile, urban professionals who, | | | | "remission" of sorts, only to have the |
| because of their busy lifestyles, of course | | | | symptoms reappear at a later time. |
| were tired! With further investigation, | | | | |
| medical professionals discovered that many | | | | This "Brain Injury" theory is the most |
| other individuals were suffering from the | | | | prevalent at this time and appears to provide |
| unexplained symptoms of this illness. Even | | | | the most rational explanation for Chronic |
| though the medical community has published | | | | Fatigue Syndrome to date. As the control |
| studies that bolster the reality of this | | | | center of the body, the brain, when unable to |
| illness, sufferers continue to find that the | | | | function normally, can cause a host of |
| "yuppie flu" designation still prevails. | | | | mysterious symptoms that are unexplained by |
| | | | any known medical illness. Further research |
| Many individuals who suffer from CFS have | | | | into the causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| reported that they became ill with a virus | | | | should provide the answers to why some |
| before later noticing the symptoms now | | | | individuals suffer from this brain injury and |
| attributed to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. | | | | others do not. |