Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity. Persons with CFS most often function at a substantially lower level of activity than they were capable of before the onset of illness. In addition to these key defining characteristics, patients report various nonspecific symptoms, including weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and/or mental concentration, insomnia and post-exertional fatigue lasting more than 24 hours. In some cases, CFS can persist for years. The cause or causes of CFS have not been identified and no specific diagnostic tests are available. Moreover, since many illnesses have incapacitating fatigue as a symptom, care must be taken to exclude other known and often treatable conditions before a diagnosis of CFS is made.
Definition of CFS
A great deal of debate has surrounded the issue of how best to define CFS. In an effort to resolve these issues, an international panel of CFS research experts convened in 1994 to draft a definition of CFS that would be useful both to researchers studying the illness and to clinicians diagnosing it. In essence, in order to receive a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, a patient must satisfy two criteria:
• Have severe chronic fatigue of six months or longer duration with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis; and
• Concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration; sore throat, tender lymph nodes; muscle pain; multi-joint pain without swelling or redness; headaches of a new type, pattern or severity; unrefreshing sleep; and post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours.
The symptoms must have persisted or recurred during six or more consecutive months of illness and must not have predated the fatigue
Additional signs and symptoms
People with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic infections have also reported a range of other signs and symptoms that aren’t part of the official chronic fatigue definition. These include:
• Abdominal pain
• Allergies or sensitivities to foods, alcohol, odors, chemicals, medications or noise
• Bloating
• Chest pain
• Chronic cough
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness, balance problems or fainting
• Dry mouth
• Earache
• Irregular heartbeat
• Jaw pain
• Morning stiffness
• Nausea
• Chills and night sweats
• Psychological problems, such as depression, irritability, anxiety disorders and panic attacks
• Shortness of breath
• Tingling sensations
• Visual disturbances, such as blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain and dry eyes
• Weight loss or gain
Possible Causes of CFS
• Despite an intensive, nearly 20-year search, the cause of CFS remains unknown. Many different infectious agents and physiologic and psychological causes have been considered, and the search continues.
• Much of the ongoing research into a cause has centered on the roles the immune, endocrine and nervous systems may play in CFS. More recently, interactions among these factors are under evaluation.
• Genetic and environmental factors may play a role in developing and/or prolonging the illness, although more research is needed to confirm this. CDC is applying cutting-edge genomic and proteomic tools to understand the origins and pathogenesis of CFS.
CFS is not caused by depression, although the two illnesses often coexist, and many patients with CFS have no psychiatric disorder.
No one really knows the cause of chronic fatigue, but our opinion is that this is one of the lifestyle illnesses brought on by the post industrial revolution change in dietary habits, food supply, chemical exposure and stress levels, to name a few. In any case, when the body ecology breaks down, our solution is to test function, address any malfunctioning organs or hormones, adjust nutrition, deal with infections, cleanse the body and then to build up the immune system.