Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term disease defined by a broad variety of symptoms ranging from ongoing tiredness to severe exhaustion that persist at least six months and cannot be explained completely by an underlying medical condition. The tiredness increases with physical or mental effort but does not lessen with rest. ME, which stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, is another name for CFS. The disorder is often referred to as CFS/ME. Anyone, even children, may be affected by CFS/ME. It is more prevalent in women and frequently appears between the ages of mid-20s and mid-40s.
Although the origin of chronic fatigue syndrome is unclear, there are many symptoms ranging from viral infections to psychological stress. Medical experts believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is caused by a combination of factors such as viral and bacterial infections, a weak immune system, hormonal imbalances, mental health issues such as stress and emotional trauma, and hereditary issues (genetic factors), as CFS/ME appears to be more common in certain families.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome are loss of memory, sore muscles, pain enlarged lymph nodes, headaches that vary in patterns, feeling dizzy or sick, flu-like symptoms, heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) and sleep problems. It causes a constant lack of energy that miserably lowers activity and productivity levels with usually extreme inactivity levels for a long time.
Treatment for CFS/ME aims to relieve the symptoms, as there is no cure for it. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, a structured exercise programme called graded exercise therapy (GET) and antidepressant medication intended to relieve pain, low mood pattens and improve sleep.
Most individuals with CFS will improve over time, particularly with therapy, but others may not recover completely. It’s also possible that your symptoms may improve or worsen at different times. Children and adolescents with CFS/ME are more likely to recover completely.