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Chronic fatigue syndrome - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Definition

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS).
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease that causes you to become so tired. This is called chronic fatigue. Physical or mental activity often makes the symptoms worse.
CFS is complicated and difficult to diagnose. Some people have a hard time accepting CFS as a disease. There are a number of other characteristics which are frequently found in those diagnosed with the condition but, unlike chronic fatigue, none of these characteristics are considered to be essential for the diagnosis to be made.

Causes

No one is certain about what causes CFS. The symptoms may be caused by an immune system that isn't working well. Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome say it may be started after an infection, such as a cold or stomach bug. The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (C.F.S.) is unknown. Chronic fatigue syndrome may be caused by a virus; this virus may be HHV-6. However, no distinct viral cause has been identified. Medical researchers are still looking for the cause of CFS.

Symptoms

People with CFS experience fatigue that lasts a long timeChronic fatigue syndrome shares symptoms with many other disorders. Fatigue, for instance, is found in hundreds of illnesses, and 10% to 25% of all patients who visit general practitioners complain of prolonged fatigue.
CFS may occur after an illness such as a cold or it can start during or shortly after a period of high stress. In some cases, CFS can last for years.
In short common symptoms are-
Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or bloating
chills and night sweats
Brain fog
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Chronic cough
Eye pain or dry eyes
Difficulty maintaining upright position
Psychological problems
Jaw pain
Weight loss or gain
Unreflecting sleep
Joint pain
Persistent muscle pain
Headaches of a new type or severity
Sore throat

Treatment

The first step is to see if there is any other explainable cause for your fatigue. Your doctor will probably want to review your symptoms and medical history, and give you a physical exam. Your doctor may also want to do some blood tests, but lab testing is not often helpful in the diagnosis of CFS.
Some of the symptoms, such as muscle aches, sleep problems, anxiety and depression, can be treated with medicine. So far, there is no medicine that cures the entire syndrome. Most symptoms improve with time.
Several other treatments are currently under investigation as to their benefits. In the former category should be included antibiotics of any type including long-term antibiotic therapy, herbal remedies, homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, reflexology, colonic irrigations and a number of other pseudo-medical therapies
For those with less demanding positions, exclusion from the work place is not mandatory although long-term placement on lighter duties (for periods of six to twelve months with regular review) should be seriously considered, depending on the requirements of the work environment.