About Chronic fatigue syndrome
By Henry-001 on
Name of the medical condition and other names that it’s been known by
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CFS
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
ME
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
It’s a complex and debilitating condition characterized by long-term and disabling fatigue or tiredness. This fatigue is not relieved by rest and can worsen after physical or mental activity, a symptom known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). Other common symptoms include problems with sleep, thinking, and concentrating, pain, dizziness, and muscle or joint pain.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a fluctuating condition, and its symptoms can change unpredictably in nature and severity over time. Its impact on people’s lives can vary, with some experiencing mild symptoms that allow them to perform light domestic tasks and work or attend school with difficulty, while others may be bed- or house-bound for long periods, unable to perform daily tasks or maintain employment.
The exact cause of the disease isn’t known, but a combination of factors may be involved, including genetics and infections. The disease is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60; women are affected more often than men.
Trend
It’s estimated that there are between 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans with it.
However, please note that these numbers could vary as the condition is often underdiagnosed due to its complex nature and the lack of a definitive diagnostic test.
History of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
19th century: A doctor named George Beard coined the term 'neurasthenia' to describe an illness that mostly affected women and had symptoms similar to ME/CFS.
20th century: There were about 70 outbreaks of ME/CFS during this time, and the illness had many different names. Their unknown cause and similar symptoms linked all of these outbreaks. One of the most important outbreaks happened at the Royal Free Hospital in the United Kingdom, where over 200 staff got sick, and the hospital had to close for a few months. A doctor named Dr. Melvin Ramsay called the illness Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) during this time.
1988: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the first description of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to help researchers study the illness better.
1994: The definition of CFS was changed to include more people, which made it harder to diagnose the illness correctly. Some people also thought that the name "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" did not show how serious the illness was.
2015: The Institute of Medicine recommended new criteria for diagnosing it that focused on a smaller set of symptoms. They also suggested a new name for the illness, "Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease" (SEID), but it was not widely used.
Present: It is still a poorly understood and controversial illness, with ongoing research and efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Sources of Information
For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice.