| Not so long ago Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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| | feeling un-refreshed. This feeling will
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| (CfS) was described as the "yuppie flu".
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| | not improve simply by forging on into the
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| It was the type of illness that only the
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| | shower or gym, keeping busy, or having an
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| rich and famous could afford to have.
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| | extra cup of coffee.
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| Today, it is estimated that more than
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| | The tiredness of someone with CFS may
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| 800,000 individuals suffer from chronic
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| | also bring with it cognitive issues.
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| fatigue syndrome. According to the Center
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| | Individuals suffering with CFS report
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| for Disease Control, well over 50% of
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| | significant problems with focusing on
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| these individuals are women. While lung
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| | tasks. They may also experience
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| cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis (MS), and
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| | difficulties with short-term memory; and
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| lupus frequently grab the spotlight as
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| | other impairments.
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| prevalent among women, CFS is a much more
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| | Another factor individuals with CFS have
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| common than all of them.
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| | in common is the way they recover from
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| Unfortunately, less than 10 percent of
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| | exertion. Most people will recover from
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| people with CFS have been properly
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| | performing a function within a
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| diagnosed, and therefore are not
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| | predictable amount of time. That recovery
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| receiving adequate care. Chronic fatigue
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| | also tends to be in a positive direction.
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| syndrome is a form of fatigue that has no
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| | An individual with CFS, on the other
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| apparent explanation, but appears to have
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| | hand, will find they actual become more
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| a set of symptoms or factors that are in
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| | tired, and their other symptoms will get
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| common from person to person. A diagnosis
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| | worse. This tends to be most noticeable
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| of CFS will only be made when no other
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| | during the first 24 hour period after the
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| illness or health condition can be found
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| | exertion. This is referred to as
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| as the cause of the extreme tiredness.
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| | "post-exertional malaise".
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| At this stage, doctors and scientists do
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| | Individuals with CFS often experience
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| not know the exact cause of CFS. What we
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| | flu-like symptoms and other health
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| do know is that it is an illness, or
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| | issues. These symptoms do not improve
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| perhaps collection of illnesses defined
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| | within a few days or weeks. Rather, the
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| by both "profound as well as prolonged
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| | general feeling of illness lingers. While
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| exhaustion". Studies have shown that
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| | the person with CFS does not carry HIV,
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| chronic fatigue syndrome is as prevalent
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| | they may still find themselves with a
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| among Hispanics and African Americans as
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| | compromised immune system, tender lymph
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| it is among those who are white. It has
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| | nodes, and sore throat.
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| not been proven conclusively, but it is
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| | Headaches also appear to be another
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| believed that CFS may run in families,
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| | symptom of CFS. These tend to be more
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| hence a possible genetic predisposition.
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| | severe than headaches from the past, or
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| On the other hand, it does not appear to
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| | they have a different pattern altogether.
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| be contagious in the way that the common
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| | Pain that occurs in joints that is not
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| cold is.
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| | accompanied by redness or swelling, and
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| Individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome
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| | muscle pain, in conjunction with other
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| experience a number of common symptoms or
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| | symptoms may also indicate the presence
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| factors. If a person experiences four or
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| | of CFS.
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| more of the following symptoms then a
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| | Because the origin and exact cause of CFS
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| diagnosis of CFS is generally made.
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| | are unknown, it tends to only be
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| The most common symptom is prolonged
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| | diagnosed as such after all other types
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| fatigue that lasts for six months or
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| | of health conditions are ruled out. While
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| more. While most people feel tired from
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| | women appear to outnumber men in having
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| time to time, and may need to "sleep in"
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| | this illness, CFS is still an "equal
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| on occasion, people suffering from CFS
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| | opportunity" disease. It affects people
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| require much more sleep and rest. These
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| | all across the globe regardless of ethnic
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| people constantly wake up in the morning
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| | or racial group.
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