Why People Get Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

A woman with chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms often has a hard time explaining to her friends exactly how she feels. She might be getting eight hours of sleep a night, but feels like she could sleep eight more in order to feel well-rested. She doesn’t just feel tired like she’s had a long day; it’s a different sort of tired, she says. Concentrating or remembering things is very difficult. After exercising, she may feel so exhausted that she can’t get out of bed the next day. Her muscles and joints ache as though she has fibromyalgia. She always has headaches or a sore throat, as if she’s coming down with a cold. There are many health questions yet to be answered about this tiredness syndrome, but the Centers for Disease Control says it’s a very real disorder.

The most common of the CFS symptoms is naturally fatigue itself. Sure, everyone feels tired from working too much or from physically exerting themselves, so what makes chronic fatigue different from normal wear and tear? Sufferers of this tiredness syndrome say that they have a hard time participating in activities at home, work or school. After sleeping eight to ten hours, the patient feels like sleeping another eight hours to feel refreshed. No matter how much sleep or rest is taken, there is always that “run-down” feeling similar to how one feels when overcoming an illness. This constant feeling of exhaustion persists for at least six months.

The primary chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms include memory loss, poor concentration, headaches, muscle aches, sore throat, joint pain and persistent exhaustion. Many of these symptoms are similar to that experienced with a viral infection. The headaches experienced are generally different from past headaches in their pattern, quality and severity. The joint pain is not accompanied by the usual redness or swelling and it seems to migrate from joint to joint. One’s muscles feel weak in multiple locations for no real reason at all. While not in the technical definition, patients report related symptoms, such as abdominal pain, allergies, food sensitivities, bloating, chest pain, chronic cough, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, earaches, jaw pain, nausea, chills, night sweats, shortness of breath, visual disturbances, dry eyes, weight loss or gain, tingling sensations, anxiety panic attacks and depression.

Diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms involves ruling out all other diseases and conditions that cause fatigue, such as a stressful lifestyle, cancer, adrenal disorder, thyroid disorders, HIV, AIDS, drug dependence, immune disorders, infections, muscle/nerve disorders (multiple sclerosis), endocrine diseases (hypothyroidism), disease of the heart/kidney/liver, psychiatric illness, depression and tumors. The diagnosis is primarily based upon symptoms, but the doctor may also conduct a brain MRI and blood tests to check white blood cell count or type.

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using outdoor patio furniture, patio umbrellas outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work is widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.

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