Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been a subject of controversy for many
years. Medical authorities were once quite skeptical regarding whether it even
existed. However, in 1988, the Centers for Disease Control officially recognized
CFS. Today, CFS is defined essentially as follows: Unexplained, persistent, or
relapsing fatigue with a definite beginning; it is not the result of exertion;
it is not relieved by rest; and it results in significant reduction of
activities.
In addition, at least four of the following symptoms persist or recur for 6 or more consecutive months of the illness:
The cause (or causes) of CFS remains unknown. Because its symptoms somewhat resemble those of mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus), for a time the disease was called "Chronic Epstein-Barr Syndrome." However, further investigation disclosed that evidence of past or current Epstein-Barr infection is no more common in individuals with CFS than in the general population. Nonetheless, this erroneous and misleading term still crops up in literature on CFS.
Other syndromes with a similar pattern of symptoms to CFS include fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivities, and food allergies; some consider these conditions to be closely related to each other, but there is no real evidence to support this hypothesis.
There is no dramatically effective treatment for CFS. Antidepressants (such as Prozac and Zoloft) may improve energy and mood; older antidepressants (such as amitriptyline) may improve sleep; antihistamines and decongestants can help allergic symptoms that frequently occur in CFS; and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) may help pain. Careful attention to lifestyle issues, such as exercise level and use of caffeine, may also offer benefit.
Other approaches to CFS that have been tried include magnesium injections, corticosteroid treatment, and the antidepressant fluoxetine combined with graded exercise.
For a time, researchers expressed some excitement over initial findings that deliberately raising blood pressure might help individuals with CFS. However, a double-blind placebo-controlled study of 25 people given a 6-week course of fludrocortisone and increased dietary sodium to raise blood pressure found no improvement in CFS symptoms.
In addition, at least four of the following symptoms persist or recur for 6 or more consecutive months of the illness:
- Impairment in short-term memory or concentration
- Sore throat
- Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits
- Muscle pain
- Pain in many joints, without redness or swelling
- Headache of new pattern or severity
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Malaise following exercise, that lasts for more than 24 hours
The cause (or causes) of CFS remains unknown. Because its symptoms somewhat resemble those of mononucleosis (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus), for a time the disease was called "Chronic Epstein-Barr Syndrome." However, further investigation disclosed that evidence of past or current Epstein-Barr infection is no more common in individuals with CFS than in the general population. Nonetheless, this erroneous and misleading term still crops up in literature on CFS.
Other syndromes with a similar pattern of symptoms to CFS include fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivities, and food allergies; some consider these conditions to be closely related to each other, but there is no real evidence to support this hypothesis.
There is no dramatically effective treatment for CFS. Antidepressants (such as Prozac and Zoloft) may improve energy and mood; older antidepressants (such as amitriptyline) may improve sleep; antihistamines and decongestants can help allergic symptoms that frequently occur in CFS; and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) may help pain. Careful attention to lifestyle issues, such as exercise level and use of caffeine, may also offer benefit.
Other approaches to CFS that have been tried include magnesium injections, corticosteroid treatment, and the antidepressant fluoxetine combined with graded exercise.
For a time, researchers expressed some excitement over initial findings that deliberately raising blood pressure might help individuals with CFS. However, a double-blind placebo-controlled study of 25 people given a 6-week course of fludrocortisone and increased dietary sodium to raise blood pressure found no improvement in CFS symptoms.