Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Other names: Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, CFIDS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, ME
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS for
short) is a suspected non-specific autoimmune condition
and until recent years wasn't recognized as an official
medical condition. Even in today's medical world,
there are many medical professionals that dispute
whether or not CFS is a real medical condition. Sufferers
will tell you, though, that CFS is in fact real and
can be a debilitating disease.
As the name implies, CFS is a condition that causes
extreme and chronic fatigue. The fatigue can cause
additional symptoms, such as cognitive difficulties,
memory problems and joint and muscle aches. The cause
of CFS is still mostly unknown, but some researchers
suspect that there may be a link to viruses such as
the Epstein-Barr virus or Herpes Virus-6 (HHV-6).
Some studies have also shown that CFS could be caused
by an inflammation of the nervous system as an immune
response, but nothing conclusive has been found yet.
CFS can strike anyone, at any age, though it's more
common in adult women. Symptoms may come an go on
their own, or even go into remission without treatment.
Symptoms:
Abdominal bloating
Allergies that have worsened or are new
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty putting words in order
Difficulty speaking
Dizziness and nausea when standing up quickly
Excessive irritability
Exhaustion after exercise
Fatigue
Feeling cold
Forgetfulness
General body pain
Increased sensitivity to environment exposures
Mental confusion
Moving pain without swelling and redness
Muscle fatigue after exercise
New type or severity of headaches
Night sweats
Sore throat
Stronger sense of smell, taste and hearing
Swollen lymph nodes
Diagnosis:
Diagnosing CFS is usually a process of eliminating
all other potential causes for the symptoms.
There is a basic set of criteria that can help to
determine CFS, including at least 4 of the 8 primary
symptoms:
1) Loss of memory and/or concentration
2) Sore throat
3) Painful and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits
or neck
4) Unexplained muscle pain
5) Pain that moves from one joint to the other without
swelling, inflammation or redness
6) Headaches of a new severity or type
7) Unrefreshing sleep
8) History of at least 6 months of extreme exhaustion
after physical activity lasting more than 24 hours
There are no definitive blood tests that can conclusively
diagnose CFS, but some physicians may use the following
blood tests to help with diagnosing:
Low Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Elevated IgM/IgG Chlamydia Pneumoniae titre
Elevated IgM/IgG Coxsackievirus B titre
Elevated IgM/IgG HHV-6 titre
Low Natural Killer Cells (NK-Cells)
Treatment:
The focus of treating CFS is to relieve symptoms
with lifestyle adjustments, pain management and treatment
for sleep disorders.
Patients need to monitor daily activities to avoid
exhaustion, and may be prescribed treatment for depression
as well. Pain management may include Non-Steroidal
Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID's) such as Ibuprofen
and Aspirin. Physicians may also prescribe medication
to improve the quality of sleep.
Prognosis:
CFS can be controllable with lifestyle adjustments,
and most patients live normal, healthy lives. Flare
ups are possible with periods of remission and relapses.
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