Several Basics About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS is a very debilitating and complex disorder. If you have CFS, the foremost thing you will experience is that feeling of profound fatigue or extreme tiredness which cannot be improved even by taking a rest. When you suffer from chronic fatigue, mental or physical activities become such a burden and make you feel worse than ever.

Chronic fatigue sufferers are able to function, yes, but they cannot anymore cope with the higher level of activity they have done before they suffered from these syndrome. Unfortunately, even with the giant leaps in modern medicine and complex medical researches nowadays – nobody is really sure about the causes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Furthermore, no diagnostic tests have yet been developed or available to particularly diagnose chronic fatigue itself. Health care professionals are aware that before diagnosing their patient as having this Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, they must first eliminate other conditions that can be treated which may have caused extreme fatigue.

A patient with CFS must have felt extreme fatigue for no less than 6 months. Before declaring that you are suffering from CFS, it is important to identify that your fatigue has not been the result of an ongoing effort, it has not been significantly relieved even after resting well, and it has caused you to significantly reduce your daily activities.

Having CFS also means that you will be experiencing the following characteristic symptoms:

1. Symptoms relapse after physical and mental exertion
2. Sudden and severe fatigue, especially after a flu
3. Not refreshing sleep
4. Significant impairment of memory and concentration
5. Muscle pains
6. Multiple joints aches and pains
7. Different types of headaches
8. Sore throat
9. Tender armpit and/or neck lymph nodes

Symptoms of chronic fatigue can be very severe and disabling on certain patients. It can even be as debilitating as having multiple sclerosis. Still, it would depend on its severity.

Other symptoms of CFS to watch out for:

1. Irritable bowel syndrome
2. Intolerance to alcoholic beverages
3. Dry mouth and eyes
4. Impaired hands and feet circulation
5. Painful menstrual periods
6. Visual disturbances

If you have trouble identifying if your fatigue is already severe, here are four criteria to guide you in analyzing such condition:

1. Your fatigue is not relieved even after sufficient time of sleep and/or rest.
2. Your fatigue has not been the result of strenuous physical exercise or labor.
3. Your ability to function normally on most familiar situations is significantly lowered.
4. Your fatigue becomes worse than it is after physical or mental exertion or after being sick.