Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a serious illness that typically affects women who are over the age of forty. However, men, as well as teenagers, can be struck by this horrifying disease. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, there are many things that you need to know.
First, sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome lose the basic abilities to function. While the name implies that the victim is constantly tired, it does not express the severe nature of this fatigue. Unlike normal fatigue acquired through a hard day of work, no amount of rest can cure it. Each day, the individual afflicted is worn out, depressed and unable to function. Muscle pain and joint pain are also common. There may also be swelling of the lymph nodes. Combined, this is a very unpleasant situation to be in, and one that currently has no complete cure.
To make matters worse, diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome is extremely difficult. There is no one known virus or microbe that can identify this illness quickly. Rather, it is a process of elimination, where all similar illnesses are removed from possibilities. If a certain set of illnesses have been rejected, the possibility of chronic fatigue syndrome being at the heart of health problems becomes apparent. Due to this, it is difficult to get the diagnoses, and it is rather time consuming.
As there is no known cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, there are a variety of treatments and regimes tested that have shown signs of giving improvement for the condition. Eating certain foods and exercise seem to help, coupled with a variety of standard medications to help counter the symptoms. Without treatments, the recovery rate to a functional state is roughly five percent. With treatments, regaining functionality is raised to over thirty five percent. While these odds are discouraging, the numbers of those recovery is gradually increasing as more funding and studies are being dedicated to this syndrome.
As diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome is so difficult, purchasing and reading books on the subject, or otherwise studying the syndrome, can help you identify if you or someone you know may be a victim. If you suspect that you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you should consult with your doctor immediately so that he or she can begin tests and setting up a treatment designed to help you recover.
Chronic fatigue syndrome should not be self diagnosed only, as there are many other life threatening illnesses that share the same symptom set as chronic fatigue. A doctor should confirm your findings.