Description
This article is from the Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome (CFS) FAQ, by cfs-news@cais.com (Roger Burns) with
numerous contributions by others.
1.01 What is CFS?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an emerging illness characterized by
debilitating fatigue (experienced as exhaustion and extremely poor
stamina), neurological problems, and a variety of flu-like
symptoms. The illness is also known as chronic fatigue immune
dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), and outside of the USA is usually known
as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). In the past the syndrome has been
known as chronic Epstein-Barr virus (CEBV).
The core symptoms include excessive fatigue, general pain, mental
fogginess, and often gastro-intestinal problems. Many other symptoms
will also be present, however they will typically be different among
different patients. These include: fatigue following stressful
activities; headaches; sore throat; sleep disorder; abnormal
temperature; and others.
The degree of severity can differ widely among patients, and will also
vary over time for the same patient. Severity can vary between getting
unusually fatigued following stressful events, to being totally
bedridden and completely disabled. The symptoms will tend to wax and
wane over time. This variation, in addition to the fact that the cause
of the disease is not yet known, makes this illness difficult to
diagnose.
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health, chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS, medical care
