Fatigue, exhaustion of mind or body resulting from labor or exertion. Certain diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart ailments, can also cause fatigue. Fatigue is characterized by the inability to perform physical tasks at one's usual pace or strength, and by a slowing of the thinking processes that may involve failure of memory.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is one of several names given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder of uncertain causation. Fatigue is a common symptom in many illnesses, but CFS is a multi-systemic disease and is relatively rare by comparison.
Most diagnostic criteria require that symptoms must be present for at least six months, the symptoms must not be caused by other medical conditions.
1. Severe mental and physical exhaustion may be worsened by even trivial exertion.
2. Dysfunction in multiple areas ( muscle weakness, digestive disturbances,cardiac and respiratory problems, cognitive dysfunction, hypersensitivity, orthostatic intolerance, depression, and poor immune response.
3. Sleep dysfunction : "Unrefreshing" sleep/rest, poor sleep quantity, insomnia or rhythm disturbances.
In the beginning presented as a en enormous fatigue:” these days I sleep a lot.”
After that as a clinophilie: “ Yes, Doc, I have been sleeping already all day long, but in the evening around 7pm I need to relax, because I am exhausted.”
In the end as a sleep dysfunction, when the patient is more tired when getting up in the morning then at night before going to bed, and wants to just sleep.
4. Headache
5. Tender lymph nodes
A complete body- health checkup ( clinical, biological, radiological and psychological) should be established at least once. This can exclude any infections (Aids, Hepatitis), auto-immune diseases ( multiple sclerosis, polyarthritis,…),metabolic diseases ( diabetes, thyroid dysfunction) or mental problems ( depressions, typical symptoms of dependancy).
Sometimes CFS begins at the same time like another infection, so that the first descriptions make the virus responsible for the fatigue ( Eppstein Barr, Mononucleosis).
Without any remarkable symptom, an intense stress, a situation of overcharge and often a depression could be the reason (Burnout Syndrom).
How can I cope with and manage the chronic fatigue syndrome?
There is no effective treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. Even though there is no specific treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome itself, one may find it quite helpful to treat the symptoms. Learning how to manage one's fatigue may help improve the level at which one can function and the quality of life despite your symptoms.
If one suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, health experts recommend that the suspect try to maintain good health by:
Eating a balanced diet and getting adequate rest
Exercising regularly but without causing more fatigue
Pacing oneself -- physically, emotionally, and intellectually -- because too much stress can aggravate the symptoms. The course of chronic fatigue syndrome varies from patient to patient
Conclusion
Chronic fatigue syndrome seems to involve interactions between the immune and central nervous systems, interactions about which scientists know relatively little. Scientists' concerted efforts to penetrate the complex nervous system and immune system events in chronic fatigue syndrome have created a challenging new concept of the pathology of this and other illnesses.
