Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Definition
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is the disorder of debilitating fatigue without an obvious cause and has been persistent or relapsing over time.
• Overview
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome usually starts at age 25 to 45 years.
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is almost twice as common in women than men.
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not common, occurring in one to three percent of the population.
The exact cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not known.
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome result from one of the following:
·Problems with the communication between the adrenal grand and the pituitary gland, possibly leading to impaired adrenal function.
· Some studies have previously showed a relationship with infections such as Epstein Barr virus (infectious mononucleosis), fungus, mycoplasma. Follow up studies can not confirm these findings.
· Up to 60% of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have depression. It is difficult to known if depression caused the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or was the result.
• Symptoms
· Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms include:
Fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Headache
Sore throat
Tender lymph nodes
Muscle pain
Joint aches
Fevers
Difficulty sleeping
Psychiatric problems such as depression or anxiety disorder
Allergies
Abdominal cramps
Weight loss
• Treatment
Although there is no generally accepted treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Interventions such as Cognitive Behavior and graded exercise programs are helpful.
References
Ann Intern Med 121:953, 1994 [PMID: 7978722]
The epidemiology of chronic fatigue in San Francisco. Am J Med 105:83S, 1998
Posted on September 24, 2008
