| Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS for short) is | | | | laboratory tests are available to confirm a |
| an illness characterised by persistent | | | | diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.The |
| medically unexplained fatigue.CFS may also be | | | | diagnosis of CFS is made only if no other |
| called myalgic encephalomyelitis | | | | cause,including side effects of drugs,is |
| (ME),Epstein-Barr disease,post-viral fatigue | | | | found to explain the fatigue.Unexplained |
| syndrome,or chronic fatigue and immune | | | | chronic fatigue cases can be classified as |
| dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS).Chronic fatigue | | | | CFS if the patient has a minimum of four of |
| syndrome has frequently been viewed as | | | | the following eight symptoms:impairment of |
| hypochondriacal behavior or "yuppie flu".But | | | | short-term memory and concentration,sore |
| most experts now agree that chronic fatigue | | | | throat,tender lymph nodes,muscle |
| syndrome is a distinct disease with physical | | | | pain,multi-joint pain,headaches of a new type |
| symptoms.The most prominent symptom of CFS is | | | | or pattern or severity,unrefreshing sleep,and |
| an unexplained feeling of fatigue,which is | | | | fatigue lasting more than 24 hours after |
| not relieved by rest. Symptoms of chronic | | | | physical exertion.For a patient to be |
| fatigue also include muscle and joint pain, | | | | officially diagnosed with chronic fatigue |
| muscle weakness, bowel problems,unexplained | | | | syndrome, the symptoms must have persisted |
| headaches, forgetfulness,poor | | | | for at least six months.If the patient's |
| concentration,confusion,poor temperature | | | | symptoms do not meet the criteria for CFS, |
| control and difficulty sleeping.Fibromyalgia | | | | then the condition is referred to as |
| and arthritis are frequent accompaniments to | | | | idiopathic chronic fatigue.Chronic fatigue |
| patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.The | | | | syndrome is a frustrating illness that |
| cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is not well | | | | affects people of all ages. Because there is |
| understood.Conditions that have been proposed | | | | no specific diagnostic test for chronic |
| to trigger the development of chronic fatigue | | | | fatigue syndrome,no one knows how many people |
| include virus infection and toxins. Some | | | | suffer from this illness.It is estimated that |
| theories suggests that chronic fatigue is | | | | half a million Americans suffer from CFS. |
| related to stress,overwork,physical | | | | Women are diagnosed with chronic fatigue |
| inactivity,problems with the immune | | | | syndrome two to four times as often as men |
| system,low blood pressure,or hormonal | | | | are.It's not clear,however,whether CFS |
| imbalance.Colitis,hypoglycemia and | | | | affects women more frequently - or if women |
| brucellosis can also cause chronic fatigue | | | | report it to their doctors more often than |
| syndrome.Regardless of the cause, chronic | | | | men do.Treating CFS presents a significant |
| fatigue has a major impact on the quality of | | | | challenge to people with chronic fatigue and |
| life.Chronic fatigue syndrome is very hard to | | | | their healthcare practitioners.Viktor |
| diagnose, and many people go for years | | | | Radcliff is the owner of Find framed |
| without knowing that they have it. No | | | | posters,art photos and maps on his site. |