What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Its Symptoms?

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Sun Nov 25 17:39:01 2001


June 2001 WHAT IS CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME AND ITS SYMPTOMS? Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also sometimes called immune dysfunction syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (in Europe), is not a new disorder. In the 19th century the term neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion, was applied to symptoms resembling CFS. In the 1930s through the 1950s outbreaks of disease marked by prolonged fatigue were reported in the United States and many other countries. Beginning in the early to mid-1980s interest in chronic fatigue syndrome was revived by reports in America and other countries of various outbreaks of long-term debilitating fatigue.

Fatigue that lasts for more than six months, impairs normal activities, and has no identifiable medical or psychological problems to account for it is referred to as unexplained chronic fatigue. This condition, however, is not considered to be chronic fatigue syndrome unless it meets certain criteria [ see Box ]. If it does not meet these criteria, then the condition is referred to as idiopathic chronic fatigue . (Idiopathic simply means that the cause is not known.) It should be noted that six million patient visits are made each year because of fatigue, although only a very small percentage of these can be attributed to actual chronic fatigue syndrome.

There is much more to read about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome!! To locate this article:

1.) Enter: http://www.cchs.net/hinfo/

2.) click: Well-Connected Patient Education Reports

3.) Scroll down and click: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


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