Fatigue has many possible causes, which can range from a lack of sleep to a health issue such as thyroid disease. When fatigue is long-term, severe, and it can?t be explained by lifestyle or a medical condition, the cause could be a condition called chronic fatigue syndrome.
Doctors don?t yet know what causes chronic fatigue syndrome. They think it might stem from an infection, a problem with the immune system, body-wide stress, or a combination of factors.
The primary chronic fatigue symptoms include fatigue that?s unexplained and severe enough to interfere with everyday activities. The exhaustion doesn?t improve with rest, and it often gets worse with activity. Other chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms include difficulty remembering and concentrating, pain in the muscles or joints, headaches, tender lymph nodes in the armpit or neck, and a sore throat. These are the most typical chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, but many people with the condition complain of other ailments. Depression, chills, night sweats, dizziness, fainting, food sensitivities, and bowel problems have all been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
The variety of possible chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms can make the condition difficult for doctors to diagnose. No blood test or imaging scan is specifically designed to pick up chronic fatigue syndrome. People are diagnosed only after they?ve had symptoms for six months or longer, other conditions have been ruled out through testing, and they meet a set of specific chronic fatigue symptom criteria.
Chronic fatigue syndrome can be as difficult to treat as it is to diagnose. Patients will often work with a team of specialists, which includes a primary care physician, mental health specialists, and physical therapists to manage symptoms and learn how to cope with the condition.
An annual physical and a blood test go hand in hand. Blood tests can help a doctor to diagnose multiple medical problems and diseases, sometimes before a patient notices any of the tell-tale symptoms. Conditions such as cancer, liver disorders, diabetes, thyroid problems, anemia, blood cancer, heart disease, stroke, and
If you suffer from fatigue, you are not alone. Estimates of how common it truly is vary widely, but overall, about 20% of all patients complain of fatigue, and 5% to 10% of patients presenting to their primary care…
Among the potential causes of extreme fatigue is a condition called chronic fatigue syndrome. Symptoms are affecting more of us than you might imagine. More than 1 million adults in the United States suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among adults,
Far too many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms are left undiagnosed and continue to suffer. But now there is hope – a simple blood test may finally be available to diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome…
Studies published in 2015 shed new light on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The condition, known medically as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), appears to be a biological disorder, not a psychological issue, as determined in multiple studies, including recent work by scientists at Columbia University and the Institute of Medicine.
The new findings
If you’re suffering from the syndrome known as chronic fatigue, treatment can vary—no surprise, considering that the condition itself is so mysterious. Before we get into the best ways to manage and treat chronic fatigue syndrome, consider the genesis of how we define it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a mystery disease capable of transforming healthy individuals into exhausted shadows of their former selves, with low energy, muddled thinking, and chronic joint and muscle pain, among other symptoms.
For many years, researchers have looked into possible causes for this complex condition—including psychological problems, viruses, an
Q: Our geriatrician has diagnosed my husband with motoric cognitive risk syndrome and recommended regular exercise to reduce his risk for dementia. What is MCR?
A: Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a newly recognized pre-dementia syndrome that is characterized by a combination of slowing gait speed and cognitive complaints. Research
Acupuncture can help improve sleep, enhance immunity, and lower blood pressure; and that’s just the beginning.
Can an ancient healing therapy used thousands of years ago be effective in today’s fast pace world for reducing chronic fatigue symptoms? It can in fact – according to a recent study presented at the annual meeting of the…
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