What Is The History Of
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
What Is The History Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Chronic fatigue syndrome first began being studied in the late 1930s and it was looked at as an immunological
neurological disorder that was given the name myalgic encephalomyelitis (abbreviated to ME).
Ever since the year 1969, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified chronic fatigue syndrome as a
disease of the central nervous system.
In the year 1992 as well as into early 1993 the terms chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as well as post-viral
fatigue syndrome (PVFS) was added to the myalgic encephalalomyelitis and it went under the exclusive ICD-10
designation of G93.3.
Chronic fatigue disorder cannot be determined by any one particular diagnostic test and therefore deciphering
the ins and outs of this mysterious disease is extremely difficult.
This disease is often misdiagnosed because many of its symptoms mimic other diseases such as for example,
infections or biological conditions such as Epstein-Barr or Lyme disease or psychological health conditions such as
depression, anxiety or hypochondria.
Once dubbed as the yuppie disease or the yuppie flu in the early 1990s, chronic fatigue remains virtually
unexplained despite a variety of research studies that have been done to uncover its causes and main
components.
There is a terrible lack of information as well as awareness about this bizarre disease and therefore has caused
many patients of CFS to become stigmatized as either lazy, or hypochondriacs. Dispelling these misconceptions is
proving to be an uphill battle. T
he Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) after many years has recognized that chronic fatigue
syndrome is a very real and serious illness and they have started a campaign to bring more information to the
public arena as well as to raise awareness of the medical aspects of the disease and the social consequences of the
health condition.
Chronic Fatigue Fast Facts
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Basic Facts
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that exhibits symptoms in patients like constant exhaustion and flu-like symptoms, that do not go away as true flu normally does. Persons who suffer from CFS find themselves experiencing extreme fatigue for more than a day after doing any strenuous physical activity.
Symptoms
The following is a list of symptoms one may experience while suffering from CFS according to a study conducted by a International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study...
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Chronic fatigue syndrome is sometimes referred to by other names and two of the most common are myalgic
encephalomyelitis (ME) and post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS).
Chronic fatigue syndrome most readily affects the immune system, the central nervous system (CNS)
and a variety of other body systems and organs. Chronic fatigue syndrome does not have any one specific cause and
is believed to have a multitude of causes.
It is estimated that approximately 800,000 plus individuals suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome
but less than 10 percent of these people have been properly diagnosed and are therefore not receiving the care they
need to be properly treated.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is three times more prevalent in women than it is in men. To use an
example, the CDC estimates that for every 100,000 people who are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, 522 of
them are female while 291 of them are males.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Facts
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While there are several different types of sleep disorders, the two other most common ones that
also have very similar symptoms to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, include insomnia, and restless legs
syndrome.
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Among women, CFS is much more common than are other diseases such as lupus, multiple
sclerosis (MS), lung cancer or HIV.
The most common age for a person to develop chronic fatigue syndrome is middle age, which in this
instance is roughly between the ages of 40 and 49 years of age.
The CDC estimates that approximately 50 percent of individuals who receive proper treatment for CFS
are able to live normal, productive lives.
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