What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and M.E.?
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)? These are poorly understood conditions that are characterised by debilitating exhaustion. The condition usually impairs normal day-to-day living and many sufferers find it disabling to the degree of being housebound or even bedbound.
Depending where you are in the world, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). ME is seen as a more severe form of CFS in the UK. It mainly affects young adults, but children and elderly people are also affected.
The cognitive problems associated with CFS/ME can hamper speech, thought flow and short-term memory. The condition often causes sufferers often to display dyslexic tendencies. Flu-type symptoms are also common amongst sufferers. The severity of symptoms and disability vary from person to person, but CFS/ME is known not to be contagious.
Who does it affect?
CFS affects 1 in 1000 people in the UK. It appears to affect women more than men: 85% of those with CFS are female. However, this figure may be inaccurate when you consider men are less upfront than women about acknowledging their symptoms and seeking professional help.
Workaholics and overachievers who drive themselves to the point of burnout are highly susceptible to CFS as are those with a history of allergies. CFS rarely affects children under 12, but it is more common amongst adolescents.
So What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Causes of ME?
The cause of CFS/ME still remains unknown by the medical profession, which leaves the question - 'what is chronic fatigue syndrome and M.E. largely unanswered, but it can be a follow-on condition of a viral infection. Glandular Fever is a common trigger point.
What we do know is that prolonged emotional, psychological or physical stress prior to the onset of the illness is common amongst sufferers. For example, bereavement, relationship problems or break-up, severe work related stress or redundancy can weaken the immune system to a point that viruses and CFS/ME can take hold.
It is suspected that CFS/ME is related to disorders that affect the immune, hormonal and nervous systems, but there's no definitive scientific evidence of this.
CFS/ME is characterized by:
excessive fatigue
Many other symptoms will also be present, however they will typically be different among different patients. These include:
In some cases, CFS/ME can persist for years. The cause or causes of CFS/ME have not been identified and no specific diagnostic tests are available. Moreover, since many illnesses have incapacitating fatigue as a symptom, care must be taken to exclude other known and often treatable conditions before a diagnosis of CFS/ME is made
What's been tried to fix it?
A graded exercise program is often suggested as an approach to CFS/ME. But it is a controversial approach that often proves impractical for sufferers, but some do benefit.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an approach that helps some understand how their thinking affects their health and wellbeing. But this is also a controversial approach that fosters the view that CFS/ME is an 'all-in-the-head' condition that needs a psychiatric or psychological approach.
Painkillers, antibiotics and antidepressants are often prescribed, but these are not long term solutions and can often lead to dependency.
Complementary Therapies and Counselling prove to be popular amongst sufferers, especially when their condition is not taken seriously by the medical profession and seem to have more answers to the question: what is chronic fatigue syndrome and M.E.?
History of CFS/ME
In the past the medical profession answered the question 'what is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis' by suggesting it was a malingering 'all-in-the-mind' hypochondriac condition more related to depression that anything else. But today most experts agree that CFS/ME is a distinct illness with physical symptoms. However, CFS/ME still remains controversial and many Doctors still don't recognise it as a real condition, which often makes getting a diagnosis very difficult.
The above information is taken from http://www.fatigueanswers.com/what-is-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html
and http://fmcfsme.com/cfs.php
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is the term often used and preferred by doctors. This is because the main symptom is usually chronic fatigue. There is also little evidence of brain and spinal cord inflammation, as the term "ME" suggests. ME is thought to be too specific to cover all the symptoms.
ME is often the preferred term of people who have CFS. This is because they feel "fatigue" is too general, and does not reflect the severity and different types of fatigue. They also feel that even though fatigue occurs in most cases, it is not the only symptom people experience.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)? These are poorly understood conditions that are characterised by debilitating exhaustion. The condition usually impairs normal day-to-day living and many sufferers find it disabling to the degree of being housebound or even bedbound.
Depending where you are in the world, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). ME is seen as a more severe form of CFS in the UK. It mainly affects young adults, but children and elderly people are also affected.
The cognitive problems associated with CFS/ME can hamper speech, thought flow and short-term memory. The condition often causes sufferers often to display dyslexic tendencies. Flu-type symptoms are also common amongst sufferers. The severity of symptoms and disability vary from person to person, but CFS/ME is known not to be contagious.
Who does it affect?
CFS affects 1 in 1000 people in the UK. It appears to affect women more than men: 85% of those with CFS are female. However, this figure may be inaccurate when you consider men are less upfront than women about acknowledging their symptoms and seeking professional help.
Workaholics and overachievers who drive themselves to the point of burnout are highly susceptible to CFS as are those with a history of allergies. CFS rarely affects children under 12, but it is more common amongst adolescents.
So What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the Causes of ME?
The cause of CFS/ME still remains unknown by the medical profession, which leaves the question - 'what is chronic fatigue syndrome and M.E. largely unanswered, but it can be a follow-on condition of a viral infection. Glandular Fever is a common trigger point.
What we do know is that prolonged emotional, psychological or physical stress prior to the onset of the illness is common amongst sufferers. For example, bereavement, relationship problems or break-up, severe work related stress or redundancy can weaken the immune system to a point that viruses and CFS/ME can take hold.
It is suspected that CFS/ME is related to disorders that affect the immune, hormonal and nervous systems, but there's no definitive scientific evidence of this.
CFS/ME is characterized by:
- debilitating fatigue (exhaustion and extremely poor stamina)
- neurological problems
- and a variety of flu-like symptoms
excessive fatigue
- general pain
- mental fogginess
- often gastro-intestinal problems
Many other symptoms will also be present, however they will typically be different among different patients. These include:
- fatigue following stressful activities
- headaches
- sore throat
- sleep disorder
- abnormal temperature
- and others
In some cases, CFS/ME can persist for years. The cause or causes of CFS/ME have not been identified and no specific diagnostic tests are available. Moreover, since many illnesses have incapacitating fatigue as a symptom, care must be taken to exclude other known and often treatable conditions before a diagnosis of CFS/ME is made
What's been tried to fix it?
A graded exercise program is often suggested as an approach to CFS/ME. But it is a controversial approach that often proves impractical for sufferers, but some do benefit.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an approach that helps some understand how their thinking affects their health and wellbeing. But this is also a controversial approach that fosters the view that CFS/ME is an 'all-in-the-head' condition that needs a psychiatric or psychological approach.
Painkillers, antibiotics and antidepressants are often prescribed, but these are not long term solutions and can often lead to dependency.
Complementary Therapies and Counselling prove to be popular amongst sufferers, especially when their condition is not taken seriously by the medical profession and seem to have more answers to the question: what is chronic fatigue syndrome and M.E.?
History of CFS/ME
In the past the medical profession answered the question 'what is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis' by suggesting it was a malingering 'all-in-the-mind' hypochondriac condition more related to depression that anything else. But today most experts agree that CFS/ME is a distinct illness with physical symptoms. However, CFS/ME still remains controversial and many Doctors still don't recognise it as a real condition, which often makes getting a diagnosis very difficult.
The above information is taken from http://www.fatigueanswers.com/what-is-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html
and http://fmcfsme.com/cfs.php
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is the term often used and preferred by doctors. This is because the main symptom is usually chronic fatigue. There is also little evidence of brain and spinal cord inflammation, as the term "ME" suggests. ME is thought to be too specific to cover all the symptoms.
ME is often the preferred term of people who have CFS. This is because they feel "fatigue" is too general, and does not reflect the severity and different types of fatigue. They also feel that even though fatigue occurs in most cases, it is not the only symptom people experience.