What is chronic fatigue?
Chronic fatigue is a persistent feeling of tiredness and lack of energy that doesn't go away with rest or sleep. It's a common symptom of many illnesses, but can also be a condition in itself known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Some key things to know about chronic fatigue:
- Fatigue vs tiredness - Fatigue is more than just feeling tired. It's an overwhelming exhaustion that makes even small tasks difficult.
- Lasting a long time - For chronic fatigue, symptoms must persist for 6 months or longer. That helps distinguish it from temporary fatigue.
- Unexplained - With CFS specifically, no other medical condition can explain the fatigue. It's not due to lack of sleep, medication side effects, etc.
- Impacts daily life - The fatigue from CFS is debilitating enough to make accomplishments at work, school or home much harder.
- Other symptoms - People with CFS often have other symptoms like headaches, muscle pain, brain fog, dizziness and more.
What causes chronic fatigue? There are many potential contributors like:
- Viral infections - Fatigue often follows illness from a virus and just never goes away.
- Hormonal imbalances - Conditions like thyroid disorders or low testosterone in men can cause fatigue. Hormone Harmony Clinic offers advanced hormone testing and replacement therapy to help restore optimal levels.
- Depression or anxiety - Mental health disorders are closely tied to fatigue. Treating them can sometimes, but not always, improve energy levels.
- Poor sleep - Insomnia or untreated sleep apnea prevents restorative sleep needed to fight fatigue.
Diagnosing chronic fatigue requires ruling out other illnesses with similar symptoms first through exam and testing. Age, occupation, lifestyle factors and more also need evaluation. Working with a doctor is important for both diagnosis and tailored treatment plans. Lifestyle changes, stress reduction techniques, gentle exercise programs and sometimes medications can all help manage difficult chronic fatigue.
I hope this overview gives some good background on what chronic fatigue syndrome is, what causes it and how it can be evaluated and treated over time! Let me know if you have any other questions.