World Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Day 2018 – What happens when you suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The disorder reduces your activity level and stamina to the extent that you may have trouble concentrating and carrying out daily activities.

By: Mita Majumdar | | Published: May 12, 2018 12:09 pm

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a mysterious malady characterized by extreme fatigue that doesn t go away with rest or sleep. The disorder reduces your activity level and stamina to the extent that you may have trouble concentrating and carrying out daily activities. The fatigue becomes so severe that it can force a 50 percent reduction in your daily activities. [1] Also Read - Suffering from constant headaches? This is what your body is trying to tell you

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The disabling fatigue is almost always accompanied by other symptoms, and can last for six months or more. The wide spectrum of symptoms includes Also Read - 5 popular home remedies to get rid of vertigo

Persistent musculoskeletal pain
Headaches
Anxiety
Major depression
Cognitive disorders
Sleep disorders
Extreme exhaustion after physical or mental exercise that lasts for more than 24 hours
Tender lymph nodes in the neck and armpit
And these are not all but the most frequent ones. Less frequent, but equally important, symptoms include
Brain fog or mental fog
Orthostatic intolerance, that is, developing symptoms such as lightheadedness and dizziness, when standing which are relieved when reclining
Mood problems
Chills and night sweats
Sensitivity to light, blurring, or pain in the eye
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Allergies to food, medicine, noise, odour, etc.

Fatigue in CFS

Fatigue, the main symptom of CFS, is

Not the result of ongoing exertion
Not lifelong
Not responsive to rest

Researchers have found that people with CFS generally describe their fatigue as: [2]

Exhaustion and weakness
Llack of energy
Feeling drained
Inability to stand for even a few minutes or walk even a few blocks without exhaustion
Inability to sustain an activity for any significant length of time

Some of the more extreme examples include:

Too exhausted to change clothes more than every 7-10 days
Exhaustion to the point that speaking is not possible
Exertion of daily toileting, particularly bowel movements, sends me back to bed struggling for breath and feeling like I just climbed a mountain
A tired but wired feeling

Researchers have now found conclusive evidence that fatigue in CFS is profound and it is not the result of excessive exertion; nor does it go away with rest. And therein lies the difference between CFS tired and normal tired. Although skeptical earlier, the medical community now agrees that CFS is much more than the chronic presence of fatigue, and that associated symptoms make the condition worse. Here is detailed information on top 10 causes of constant fatigue.

Post exertional malaise (PEM)

PEM, another characteristic symptom of CFS, occurs after physical and cognitive exertion. You will find that the symptoms and function worsen after exposure to physical or cognitive stressors that were normally tolerated before disease onset. There can be other triggers as well; for example, emotional stress, physical trauma, disturbed sleep, an infection, or even talking on the phone, or working on the computer! PEM can last for hours, days, or even months. Recovering from PEM is very difficult for CFS patients. Studies show that whilehealthy controls recovered from the stress within 48 hours, only 31 percent of the patients returned to pre-stressor baseline within that time, and 60 percent were still experiencing multiple symptoms after one week. [2] And that s another difference between CFS tired and normal tired.

However, experience of PEM varies among people with CFS, and some adapt their lifestyle and activity level to avoid triggering symptoms.

Impaired cognitive functioning

One of the most easily distinguishable feature in people with CFS is the display of slowed information processing, that is, their information processing speed is impaired. But there is definitely no impairment in the accuracy of information processing. Researchers think this could be the cause of other neurocognitive impairments such as attention deficit, reduced alertness, and short term memory loss. Unfortunately, such deficits often lead to loss of employment and loss of functional capacity in social environments. Read more about 6 yoga asanas to zap chronic fatigue

Neuroticism and perfectionism

People with CFS have a long-term tendency to be in a negative emotional state. They have frequent and severe feelings of guilt, anxiety, and anger compared to others. This state is called neuroticism. Another symptom found in people with CFS is perfectionism, or more accurately maladaptive perfectionism, which means, a tendency to make overly critical self-evaluation. Scientists believe that neuroticism and perfectionism have a role to play in the severity of the illness, however, it depends on the severity of depression, as all these states are interlinked. [3] Read about how to cope with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lastly, but very importantly, symptoms vary from person to person in severity, type, and number. Another important point is that CFS often occurs in cycles; you may have periods of illness followed by a period of relative well-being. So, it is important that you seek medical attention.

Reference

Avellaneda Fern ndez A, P rez Mart n , Izquierdo Mart nez M, et al. Chronic fatigue syndrome: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment. BMC Psychiatry. 2009;9(Suppl 1):S1. doi:10.1186/1471-244X-9-S1-S1.

Committee on the Diagnostic Criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Institute of Medicine. Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2015 Feb 10. 4, Review of the Evidence on Major ME/CFS Symptoms and Manifestations. Available from: http://https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK284902/
Valero S, S ez-Franc s N, Calvo N, Alegre J, Casas M. The role of neuroticism, perfectionism and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome. A structural equation modeling approach. Comprehensive Psychiatry. Jun 2013, 54(7):1061-1067. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.04.015

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Published : May 12, 2018 12:09 pm

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