What is chronic fatigue syndrome and how to treat it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This is the case when the recommendation "Get it together, rag!" not only useless, but even dangerous.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS / ME) - NHS in which a person constantly feels a lack of energy. Even if he is resting properly.

"Constantly" in this case is a literal concept. CFS is diagnosed only if extreme weakness has followed a person for at least six months Chronic fatigue syndrome - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. And all this time, the sick person feels as if the battery was pulled out of him: it is difficult for him to go to work, it is almost impossible for him to go to the gym, to the store or for a walk. Even getting out of bed is a real challenge for many.

Everyone, including young children, can get sick with chronic fatigue syndrome. But most often it occurs in women aged Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | CFS | MedlinePlus from 40 to 60 years old.

Weakness increases with the slightest physical or mental stress. And it takes many hours, if not days, to recover and try again to take up work, study, social life.

Where does chronic fatigue syndrome come from?

Doctors consider chronic fatigue syndrome a complex, multisystem disease - that is, affecting many organs and systems of the human body - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | CFS | MedlinePlus. And they find it difficult to say what exactly is its cause.

Problems with establishing causes are obvious even because the disorder does not have a single, well-defined name. In evidence-based medicine, the term "chronic fatigue syndrome" is actively used. However, CFS is known to specialists under other names, each of which encodes the alleged cause and general meaning of the disease. Here are just a few of them:

• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME). This is the most common second name for the disease. This is what ICD-10 Version: 2016 appears on. G93.3 Postviral fatigue syndrome in the International Classifier of Diseases (ICD-10). Literally, myalgic encephalomyelitis means an inflammatory process in the brain, which manifests itself, among other things, with pain and weakness in the muscles.
• Post-viral fatigue syndrome ICD-10 Version: 2016. G93.3 Postviral fatigue syndrome. This name is also from the ICD-10.
• Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness.
• Systemic exercise intolerance disease Chronic fatigue syndrome.

The term CFS was first used Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1988, but doctors have been describing this disorder quite clearly since at least the middle of the 18th century. In those days, he also had alternative names: general malaise, neurasthenia, chronic brucellosis, neurocirculatory dystonia, and others.

Many years of attempts to understand the causes of the disorder have so far led to little. It is assumed Chronic fatigue syndrome - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic that chronic fatigue syndrome can be caused by a congenital predisposition, as well as a combination of several factors.

1. Impact of viral infection

Some people develop chronic fatigue syndrome after they have had a viral illness. Therefore, there is a version that the disorder is triggered by some viruses. Suspicious infections include Epstein-Barr viruses, human herpes type 6, and possibly the SARS ‑ CoV ‑ 2 coronavirus, which causes COVID ‑ 19.

The lingering effects of covid that some people suffer may be Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome manifestations of chronic fatigue syndrome.

But more research is needed in this regard.

2. Problems with the immune system

Scientists believe that the immunity of people who suffer from CFS is weakened. But it is not yet clear if this is enough to cause frustration.

3. Hormonal imbalance

Often, people with CFS have increased or decreased levels of hormones produced by the hypothalamus, pituitary, or adrenal glands. But how these hormones trigger chronic fatigue syndrome is still unknown.

4. Physical trauma and emotional distress

Such stresses affect the chemical processes within the body. It is assumed that Chronic fatigue syndrome: System under stress can cause neurosis of the autonomic nervous system. Because of this, the human brain is in constant stress - that is, it simply does not rest.

5. Disorders of energy metabolism

Chronic fatigue may be associated with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Possible Causes are due to the fact that the cells of the body, for various reasons, do not receive enough energy or cannot use it.

How to recognize chronic fatigue syndrome

Extreme weakness and inability to do daily activities lasting at least six months are far from the only symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Although at least 25% of people consider Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to have experienced CFS, only about 0.5% have symptoms that meet the criteria for the disorder.

Harvard Medical School experts list the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Harvard Health symptoms needed to make a diagnosis. Affected people have at least four of them. And they last at least six months.

• Memory and concentration disorders. So significant that they interfere with a person's ability to study, work, communicate with people and affect everyday life in general.
• Sore throat.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or armpits.
• Muscle pain.
• Vague joint pain, no redness or swelling.
• Headache. An important point: with CFS, they differ from those that a person has experienced before. For example, it can be stronger, longer or affect areas of the head that did not hurt before.
• Sleep disturbances. For example, insomnia. Or another option: a person suddenly wakes up every night, for example, at exactly 3 o'clock, and cannot fall asleep until morning.
• Inability to get enough sleep. Sleep is not refreshing, does not give a feeling of relaxation.
• Unusual response to exercise. It can be nausea, clammy sweat, severe dizziness that makes you sit up or lie down. Moreover, such symptoms do not necessarily appear immediately after exercise. They may appear the next day.

What to do if you suspect you have chronic fatigue syndrome

First of all, you need to make an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, there are no analyzes or tests that can unambiguously confirm CFS. Therefore, the syndrome is diagnosed with Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS / ME) - NHS based on symptoms, excluding other diseases that can cause them.

The first doctor to see if you suspect chronic fatigue syndrome is a therapist. He will ask you about your well-being, conduct an examination, and give a referral for basic tests: urine, blood. And he will try to determine what is happening to your health.

Perhaps what you think is chronic fatigue syndrome is actually a completely different disease.

Here are some conditions of Chronic fatigue syndrome - Diagnosis and Treatment - Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of which are similar to CFS:

• Sleep disorders. You may be suffering from sleep apnea - short-term stops in breathing that force you to wake up many times a night - or restless legs syndrome. All this does not allow you to get enough sleep and leads to a feeling of constant fatigue.
• Medical problems. Weakness, increased fatigue are often the result of diseases such as anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism (decreased production of thyroid hormones). These abnormalities are easily detected with blood tests.
• Mental health problems. Depression and anxiety disorder, for example, manifest themselves as weakness and apathy.

If the therapist suspects one of these diseases, he will refer you to a specialized specialist - a neurologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist, hematologist.

How to treat chronic fatigue syndrome

Unfortunately, there is no cure. Everything Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has to offer | CFS | MedlinePlus modern medicine is to highlight the symptoms that spoil your life the most and try to alleviate them.

For example, if there are sleep problems, the doctor will start with them. You will be offered to slightly change your lifestyle in order to fall asleep better: go to bed and wake up at a strictly defined time, ventilate the room, give up gadgets and a hearty dinner in the evening. If that doesn't work, the therapist will prescribe medication for insomnia. Or send you to a sleep specialist.

If the problem is related to headaches and muscle pains, the most effective and safe pain relievers will be selected for you. Or referred for physical therapy, which includes gentle stretching and massage.

Another option for symptomatic therapy is the creation of the so-called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome energy shell. Treatment. Your doctor will ask you to keep a diary to record the exercise and its effects. For example, like this: “I walked 100 meters. I fell exhausted. " “I walked 50 meters. I seem to feel pretty good."

Such a journal will help you establish those limits of physical and mental activity that will not leave you exhausted. Next, you will need to plan business and leisure in such a way as to stay within this framework. And, perhaps, gradually increase the load. But only gradually!

Do not try new treatments on your own without talking to your doctor.

The methods that have helped other people in a similar state may not only be useless for you, but even dangerous. For example, the recommendation to move more really helps with many chronic diseases. But for people with chronic fatigue syndrome, additional exercise is bad. It only makes the condition worse.

But there is good news as well. Although the state of health in chronic fatigue syndrome worsens or does not change for a long time (1–2 years Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Harvard Health), after this period most of the sick people still return to normal life.

How to prevent chronic fatigue syndrome

No way. Since the exact causes of CFS are still unclear, there are no reliable ways to prevent this disease either. All that can be done is to try to rule out those factors that are likely to play a role in the development of the disorder.

• Do not overexert yourself, physically or emotionally.
• Avoid viral infections whenever possible. In particular, do everything you can to avoid getting covid. Wear masks, wash your hands, maintain social distancing.
• Walk more, breathe fresh air, eat right. Your diet should contain a lot of vegetables, fruits, cereals and as little sweets and fast food as possible. All this will help support the immune system and, possibly, save you from disorders of energy metabolism.