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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS Introduction |
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All
of us are familiar with being tired
after a period of over exertion, or
perhaps a bout of the flu. But
for some, the tiredness is not
alleviated and becomes a condition
that begins to affect activities of
daily living. Many don't
understand that their lack of energy
is not optimal, and many times,
consider their energy-output normal.
The majority of individuals often
disregard the symptoms of chronic
fatigue, attributing indicators
to over working and lack of sleep.
While these are many times valid
explanations, fatigue that persists
must be investigated.
Fatigue can
affect all people. Regardless
of age, gender, or socioeconomic
class, there are a multitude of
reasons why someone may experience
low energy over prolonged periods of
time.
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It may be caused by
endocrine disturbances, such as
hypothyroidism, premenstrual
syndrome, or Addison's disease;
Attributed to sleep
disturbances, such as sleep
apnea or insomnia; Emotional
imbalances, like depression;
Conditions with immune
involvement, such as a viral
illness; Blood loss or
inadequate blood cell production
stemming from anemia: Or
perhaps, the fatigue may be
caused by something more
obvious, like periods of high
stress or inadequate nutritional
intake.
Whatever the
reasoning, chronic fatigue is
paralleled with many chronic
diseases, including certain forms of
cancer. While most fatigue is
due to an unhealthy lifestyle
choice, the fact remains that this
condition may be associated with a
more serious underlying condition.
If a clear reason cannot be
determined and treated, a more
thorough evaluation must be
completed by specialized tests and
procedures. |
Because chronic fatigue may
be due to other reasons besides
lifestyle choices or an underlying
medical condition, those suffering
from this condition will likely have
other signs and symptoms.
It is very important to seek medical
attention if symptoms of fatigue
do not resolve after
being addressed, or if the cause
remains unclear.
Common signs and
symptoms:
Truly accurate
statistics regarding fatigue
are difficult to come by, as nearly
every person from their early teens
through the oldest ages experience
fatigue in varying degrees. As
mentioned earlier, fatigue is more
often a symptom of an underlying
disorder and is therefore difficult
to classify.
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About 422 per
100,000 persons in the United
States suffer from chronic
fatigue syndrome, an extreme
form of fatigue. This translates
into about 800,000 people
nationwide. [1]
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CFS is three times
more common in women than men and
does not discern between people;
regardless of gender, race, age, or
socioeconomic background.
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Most of the
reported cases are Caucasian, and
the average age of onset is 30
years. [2]
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90% of those with
CFS have not been diagnosed
and thus are not receiving proper
care for their condition. [3]
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