Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Diagnosis.Chronic fatigue syndrome chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), collection of persistent, debilitating symptoms, the most notable of which is severe, lasting fatigue. In other countries it is known variously as myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, and (CFS CFSabbr. chronic fatigue syndrome CFS, n.pr See syndrome, chronic fatigue. CFS Chronic fatigue syndrome, see there ) is often misdiagnosed because its symptoms are shared by other disorders, including: hypothyroidism hypothyroidism: see thyroid gland. sleep apnea narcolepsy narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and recurring unwanted episodes of sleep ("sleep attacks"). People with narcolepsy may abruptly fall asleep at almost any time, including while talking, eating, or even walking. alcohol or substance abuse severe obesity lupus multiple sclerosis cancer depression anorexia nervosa bulimia nervosa schizophrenia bipolar disorder dementia Thus, the diagnosis of CFS is one of exclusion, i.e., excluding other possible causes of the symptom complex. Some diseases eliminate a diagnosis of CFS, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus or a severe psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia. It would not provide any benefits in these cases to have a second diagnosis. The current diagnostic criteria for CFS specifies debilitating fatigue for at least six months that doesn't improve with rest and gets worse with physical or mental exertion that was previously well tolerated. It also requires the presence of four of the following symptoms: unrefreshing sleep impairment in short-term memory or concentration post-exertional malaise occurring within 12 to 24 hours of exertion and lasting 24 hours or more joint pain without joint swelling or redness muscle discomfort or pain headaches of a new type or severity recurrent sore throat tender lymph nodes in the neck and underarms Multiple subjective symptoms are also reported, and although these are not included in the current diagnostic criteria, they are reported with relative frequency. These include: Irritable bowel syndrome irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), condition characterized by frequently alternating constipation and diarrhea in the absence of any disease process. It is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, especially in the lower left quadrant, bloating, and flatulence. and other gastrointestinal complaints Allergy-like symptoms Skin rashes Visual disturbances Dizziness Numbness and tingling Numbness and Tingling Definition Numbness and tingling are decreased or abnormal sensations caused by altered sensory nerve function. Description The feeling of having a foot "fall asleep" is a familiar one. in arms and legs Sensitivities to various chemicals Dry eyes Chills Night sweats Alcohol and medication intolerances Some CFS patients also report mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, many people with CFS don't have depression or any other psychiatric illness. Depression may be a secondary effect of CFS, not necessarily a primary condition, as people attempt to cope with the changes in lifestyle that living with a chronic illness dictates. Whether anxiety or depression occurs before or during the illness is not the significant factor; getting help for these distressing conditions is what is essential. Some also find allergies are significantly more common in CFS patients than in the general population. Many CFS patients have a history of allergies years before the onset of the syndrome. Sometimes patients report a worsening of allergic symptoms or the onset of new allergies after becoming ill with CFS. Because allergies are so common in people with CFS, it is important to identify symptoms caused by allergies so they can be treated independently. Your health care professional should take a thorough medical history, and conduct extensive physical and mental status examinations, including laboratory tests. References "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." Fact Sheet. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. National Institutes of Health. http://www.niaid.nih.gov. Accessed Oct. 2001. "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. . National Center for Infectious Diseases. http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed Oct. 2001. "Introduction to CFIDS CFIDS abbr. chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome and CFS" and "Medical Issues." The CFIDS Association of America, Inc. http://www.cfids.org. Accessed Oct. 2001. Natelson, Benjamin, H., Facing and Fighting Fatigue, (Yale University Press, 1998) "About CFS: Demographics." The Centers for Disease Control. May 2005. http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed May 2006. "About CFS: Diagnosis." The Centers for Disease Control. May 2005. http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed May 2006. "Genetics a factor in chronic fatigue." Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics News. April 30, 2006. http://biomol.net. Accessed June 2006."Basic Facts (on CFS)." The Centers for Disease Control. May 2006. http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed June 2006. Keywords: chronic fatigue syndrome, cfs, symptoms, test for chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lupus |
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