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Symptoms, causes, and risk factors of chronic fatigue

Symptoms, causes, and risk factors of chronic fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as CFS, is a condition that is identified by symptoms such as extreme tiredness or fatigue. These symptoms cannot be cured with rest, and no underlying illness can explain their occurrence.

Sometimes, there are different terms used to refer to chronic fatigue syndrome. These include:

  • Myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME
  • Systemic exertion intolerance disease or SEID

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex condition and it affects a large number of body functions. There is a long list of symptoms that can be associated with the condition. Many of these symptoms can appear to be very similar to the symptoms of several other conditions, making it difficult to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome. The symptoms can be categorized as:

Core symptoms

These are the main symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome which become the primary focus of any doctor while diagnosing the condition. Although these symptoms might differ from individual to individual, for a patient to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, these three core symptoms are important to be noticed:

Fatigue
When a person suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, experiencing extreme tiredness or fatigue is the most common indication. Extreme fatigue is usually recognized by doctors when the ability to perform routine activities is lacking. In most chronic fatigue syndrome cases, the fatigue can last for six months or even longer than that.

Post-exertional malaise
This is another core symptom of the condition that can be characterized by worsening of the symptoms after any kind of exertion – mental or physical.

Sleep-related disorders
Patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome often experience several sleep-related disorders. These disorders often lead to sleep that does not replenish the body with energy. These include:

  • Insomnia
  • Hypersomnia
  • Light or disturbed sleep
  • Sleep apnea
  • Restlessness in the legs
  • Nightmares
  • Sweat during the night

Other symptoms

In addition to the core symptoms, there are several other symptoms that can be associated with the condition. These include pain, sore throat, rashes, twitching in the muscles, depression, stress, and dizziness.

Causes of chronic fatigue syndrome

The causes are still unknown. However, it is believed that some people are born with a susceptibility towards this condition, while in others, a combination of factors can trigger the condition. These triggers include:

  • Infections caused by viruses
    The symptoms of the condition are often triggered by a viral infection. Hence, it makes researchers suspect that certain viral infections can also trigger the condition.
  • Immune system diseases
    It has been found in many cases that a person suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome can have a slightly impaired immune system. However, whether or not an impaired immune system condition leads to the condition is still not clear.
  • Hormonal problems
    Chronic fatigue syndrome patients can also suffer from an imbalance in the hormones that are produced by various glands in the body. However, the role of these imbalances in causing the condition is yet to be discovered.

Risk factors of chronic fatigue syndrome

There are several risk factors associated with the condition. These can include the following:

  • Age
    Although the condition can affect people of any age, people between 40 and 50 years of age are more prone to the condition.
  • Gender
    Women are more commonly diagnosed with the condition as compared to men.

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