Three Things You Should Know About Chronic Fatigue

Do you feel tired and exhausted most of the time? Chances are you may be suffering from fatigue. It may be caused due to general stress or stress at work, depression, insufficient sleep, no exercise, boredom and due to mild ailments like cold or flu or because of taking certain medicines. Then again, as these ailments or other causes neutralize, the fatigue too goes away. In most cases this general fatigue should ease within 2 weeks.

But there is another more severe kind of fatigue referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). What differentiates it from the general fatigue is that you feel tired to a level that impedes your day-to-day activities, and also that the tiredness is present for 6 months or more. The following three points will tell you all about CFS and how to handle it.

• Symptoms

O The causes of CFS are still unknown to medicine, a number of factors when combined together, most probably cause CFS. But you must look out for certain typical symptoms that can give you a fair indication.

O Feeling constantly exhausted even with routine activities.

O Trouble in getting sleep and being tired even after waking up.

O Difficulty in, recollecting things, concentrating or being able to think.

O Extreme tiredness after any physical activity or exercise, which you could earlier do without any strain.

O Headaches, pain in joints and muscles, sore throat and the glands in the armpits and neck feeling tender are other symptoms that might be experienced.

• Diagnosis

Another interesting detail close to this theme. Much like the causes of CFS aren’t known, in the same way there are not any specific tests to diagnose CFS. Doctors conduct diagnosis through a kind of elimination procedure, by ruling out other ailments, because CFS shares its symptoms with other ailments too. The doctor will start with observing your medical history and conducting a physical exam. To exclude other probable conditions certain tests like blood count, blood glucose level, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Urinalysis, HIV and skin tests might be prescribed. Even after this some trial and error might be required to effectively address CFS.

• Treatment

O it’s commonly believed that CFS can’t be prevented or even cured. After a possible diagnosis, home treatment coupled with medications under doctors’ advice can tackle the symptoms which in turn may reduce the ill-effects of CFS.

O Try to regularize your sleeping habits by keeping fixed sleeping hours daily, also sleep only when you feel drowsy, and avoid caffeine before going to bed. A comfortable environment including the bed also helps.

O Do some exercise, but keep a balance so as not to overburden yourself.

O A balanced diet which is low on fat can be equally helpful.

O You can also reschedule your routine to accommodate activities during the time period when you feel comparatively more energetic, again don’t overdo it.

An absence of reliable tests can be extremely frustrating, but you must work with your doctor and learn to be patient, for in most cases, once CFS improves there is rarely any relapse.

For more information please visit our Prevention of Falls Training and Patient and Family Education Training web pages.