Summary:
It would seem that people who develop chronic fatigue syndrome are born with a predisposition to the illness. This short article gives an overview of the condition and how it can be treated.

Details or Sample:
The reason some people are more predisposed to chronic fatigue syndrome than others lies in their genes, according to scientists. It’s believed that a number of individuals are born with a biological vulnerability and something in our environment causes that vulnerability to be exposed, thereby setting off a biological sequence that leads to CFS.

Doctors believe that the sequence leading to chronic fatigue syndrome starts with a viral infection that leads to a flu-like illness. (CFS has been linked to a number of viruses including those for Type 6 herpes and Epstein-Barr, a common cause of another debilitating illness, mononucleosis.) In most cases the response of the immune system is enough to help people recover, but for a small percentage, their illness continues and their immune system never shuts down.

The fatigue becomes chronic due to a number of malfunctions in the cranial control centers, but there’s still a lot that doctors don’t understand. For example, there’s increasing evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome isn’t just one illness but a catchall term for several conditions.

The main features of CFS are an overwhelming tiredness following any sort of activity coupled with problems with memory and concentration. Other common symptoms include enlarged glands, joint pain with no swelling or tenderness, and sensitivity to bright light and loud noise.

Depression, which is often related to the debilitating effects of CFS and the social problems it creates, usually occurs as the illness progresses.

There is no curative drug treatment at present for CFS. Some patients find that by limiting their physical activity they are able to manage their illness, although for others that’s not enough.

When treating CFS it’s important to remember that what will work for one patient may not necessarily work for another. Some patients respond well to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a psychological treatment based on the theory that we have learned most of our negative ways of thinking and behaving over a lengthy period of time. CBT aims to help patients suffering from CFS to change those negative ways of thinking so they react in a more positive way, which in turn boosts their confidence and self-esteem. It’s not known why a psychological treatment should help a physical condition, but stress plays an important part in how a patient is able to deal with his or her illness.

Pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin may help relieve the physical symptoms associated with CFS such as muscle and joint pain and headaches. Complementary therapies such as homeopathy and acupuncture are often recommended for people suffering from CFS. There’s no scientific evidence that these treatments are effective, but some CFS suffers do find them useful.

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Written by: JD
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