What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

What is chronic fatigue syndrome? Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. It’s a long-term illness with lots of different symptoms, the main one being extreme tiredness. Its cause is unknown. It can affect anyone of any age but is more common in women and tends to develop between your mid-20s and mid-40s. What are the symptoms? The main symptom of CFS is feeling extremely tired and generally unwell. You may find that this varies from day to day or that over-exercising makes symptoms worse. Symptoms can also include:

sleep problems
muscle or joint pain
headaches
a sore throat or sore glands
problems thinking, remembering or concentrating
flu-like symptoms
feeling dizzy or sick
fast or irregular heartbeats CFS can also affect your mental and emotional health and have a negative effect on your self-esteem.

Diagnosing CFS There is not a specific test for CFS or ME, so it's diagnosed based on your symptoms and by ruling out other conditions. Your GP will ask about your symptoms and medical history and may offer you blood tests.

Causes of CFS The cause of CFS is not known but there are a number of theories. Suggested causes or triggers include:

viral infections, eg glandular fever
bacterial infections, eg pneumonia
problems with the immune system
a hormone imbalance
mental health problems such as stress and emotional trauma
genetics

Treatment of CFS Treatments include: • cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) • a structured exercise programme called graded exercise therapy (GET) • medication to control pain, nausea and sleeping problems

For more information and advice, visit https://www.meassociation.org.uk.