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What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

© Paul B. Murray

The name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) suggests that the illness is merely about being tired. Calling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome an illness of being tired is like calling a stroke "slurred speech syndrome".

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a complex and devastating illness that effects roughly 800,000 Americans a year. Researchers do not know what causes CFS, but they believe this illness involves interactions between a dysfunction of the immune system and trigger agents such as viruses. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome causes incapacitating fatigue, pain, neurological problems and a list of symptoms that can represent other disorders. Each person living with CFS has a unique assortment of symptoms which fits into a recognizable pattern. Below is a small list of possible symptoms that CFS can produce:

· Fatigue or exhaustion
· Lack of restful sleep
· Inability to fall asleep
· Fever
· Malaise or overall feeling of being sick
· Headaches
· Short-time memory loss
· Muscle / joint pain without swelling or tenderness
· Depression
· Swollen Lymph-nodes
· Sore throat
· Chemical sensitivities
· Sensitivity to sound / light
· Allergies
· Light-headedness
· Constipation
· Diarrhea
· Chills

The road to diagnosis can be long and difficult for both the patient and physician. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning all other possible causes have been ruled out. Since diagnosis is difficult, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has outlined a set of criteria that a patient must meet in order to be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In general, a patient must satisfy two criteria:

1. Have severe chronic fatigue of six months or longer duration with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis, and

2. Concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms:

· substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
· sore throat
· tender lymph nodes
· muscle pain, multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
· headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
· unrefreshing sleep
· post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours

A major role in diagnosing CFS is an understanding by the physician of the underlying pattern of symptoms rather then just focusing on the prominent complaints by a patient. A physician must take a complete medical inventory of a patient's state of health and focus on the entire range of symptoms. It is equally important for a patient to communicate with their physician a complete picture of the their symptoms. Providing a