What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

So, you’re tired? Isn’t everyone? When many people think of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, they might immediately think they have it because they’re tired when they wake up in the morning. But this is not the case. CFS is more than just being a little sleepy and needing an extra cup of coffee in the morning. Chronic Fatigue sufferers not only have troubles with their energy, but there is little known about a cure or about why they have the syndrome in the first place.

Signs of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

If you’re trying to get a day off of work for chronic fatigue syndrome, here are some of the signs that doctors agree on:

• Consistent, unexplained fatigue
• Impaired memory
• Poor concentration
• Exhaustion after physical or mental exertion
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Headaches
• Sore throat issues
• Tender lymph nodes
• Digestive troubles
• Chills and night sweats
• Brain fog
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough
• Visual disturbances

But if you’re being honest with yourself, many of these symptoms can be attributed to a number of other causes. And if you’re just tired after staying up late for a few nights, that does not mean you have chronic fatigue.

Instead, you might want to look at the way that you are feeling over the last few months. If you’ve been getting more than enough sleep, not doing anything different, and yet you’re still so tired that you can barely stand, that’s when you need to think about going to a doctor for help.

Treatments of Chronic Fatigue

Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be tricky because it doesn’t seem to need anything more than one thing: more rest. And it’s true. A person who suffers from CFS will be told to get more sleep. But there are other treatments that might also help bring back more energy:

• Therapy – Some doctors believe that patients who have chronic fatigue might also suffer from mental imbalances, as their fatigue might be a reaction to stressors.
• Changes in lifestyle – Since chronic fatigue is exacerbated by doing too much too often, a patient may be guided to make changes in their lifestyle so that they are pacing themselves and not depleting themselves of energy regularly.
• More activity – Slowly adding in more activity into one’s life will help to create more energy and well-being.

When You Need to Get Tested

If you find that you are sleeping more often than you used to and that you are simply not feeling well, without any cause, it’s time to check with your doctor. They will run a lot of expensive medical tests on you, as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is more a matter of excluding conditions than diagnosing the syndrome. In the meantime, get some race, slow down, and see how you feel when you’re not pushing your body to the limits as so many of us are these days.