Chronic Fatigue

The CFS Case Definition
article syndicated from NIAID NEWS
Scientific studies on EBV sparked new interest in the syndrome among medical researchers. They realized they needed a standard way to describe CFS so they could more easily compare research results. In the late 1980s, CDC brought together a group of CFS experts to tackle this problem.

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
from The Works of Majid Ali, M.D. - http://www.majidali.com/
For years, most physicians dismissed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as an all-in-the-head problem. And most victims of CFS suffered the indignity of being told that they were hypochondriacs, and that they merely imagined their three main symptoms: (1) disabling fatigue; (2) persistent muscle and joint pain; and (3) severe problems of brain fog, irritability and depression.

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Diagnosis of CFS
article syndicated from CDC
Because the cause of CFS has not been identified and its effect on the body is not well understood, periodically new unvalidated beliefs about cures and causes of CFS are widely circulated. These may be based on one or more recent reports from the peer-reviewed scientific literature, or they may evolve from the anecdotal remarks of clinicians or scientists at medical meetings.

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What's Causing My Depression and Fatigue?
By Paul Shearstone
Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Depression are absolutely systemic in our society today. Recent studies done by the AMA and CMA purport one in four people in North America are suffering from some form of chronic fatigue or depression and it’s expected eight out of ten of us will experience similar afflictions in our lifetime. But numbers like these don’t speak to the cause and only tell half the story.

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Treatment of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
article syndicated from CDC
A variety of therapeutic approaches have been described as benefiting patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Since no cause for CFS has been identified and the pathophysiology remains unknown, treatment programs are directed at relief of symptoms, with the goal of the patient regaining some level of pre-existing function and well-being.

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Physical Therapy and CFS
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
Many of you may be sitting out there thinking "PT, not me! I tried that and it near killed me." And I am here to say that if this was your experience I encourage you to continue looking. There are some wonderful physical therapists out there, just like there are some wonderful docs. But we need to learn to hunt and peck to find them.

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The Emotions of Parenting a Child with CFS
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
I was sitting in the solitude of my quiet home longing for that peaceful time to never end. I knew that we soon would be faced with the inevitable problems that school forces upon us each year. In the summers my family is fortunate enough to get a "little" break from CFS. My daughter has learned that while she needs to still limit her activity, she can get through a day without her wheelchair, or the headaches that dominate the rest of the year.

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Parenting When Life Gets Rough
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
As parents, CFS has been one of the hardest things that my husband and I have had to come to terms with in raising our children. I am sure I speak for all of you out there, when I say it is heartwrenching to watch your child suffer and to have no idea what you can do to help. At first the terrible road to a diagnosis, and then living with the daily trials of pain, and sleepless nights, the fatigue, the isolation...

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Adolescents and CFS
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
CFS is hard on anyone, but for a teenager it's incredibly difficult to deal with. I know I just celebrated my 20th birthday and I've been sick for 11 years. I went through a little bit of the "normal" teenage rebellion, drinking, smoking, etc., but the majority of my rebellion was done in ways only an ill teenager could rebel. I would argue for hours with my mother over taking medicine, even pain killers.

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Setting Limits: Teaching a child with CFIDS to take responsibility
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
From watching our children, and working closely with Dr. David Bell, we have learned many things about coping and living with this illness when it invades your family. There are probably as many ways to deal with this issue as there are families dealing with CFIDS. If our experiences offer any ideas for parenting your children, then I am happy to have shared our journey.

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Parents Share Ideas For Educational Planning
By Mary Robinson, MS Ed
I often find myself talking to other parents of children with CFS about plans they have put into place for their child's education. Usually it is the case that I am making suggestions of modifications and accommodations that we have tried or heard of to assist the parent in enhancing their child's educational plan. But sometimes I have parents share ideas with me that leave me feeling that this is an excellent idea and I need to pass this one on.

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Chronic Fatigue Research: Challenges and Opportunities
article syndicated from NIAMS
Fatigue refers to a sensation of exhaustion during or after usual daily activities, or a lack of energy to begin these activities. Most people have fatigue at one time or another in their lives. Fatigue may result from exertion, lack of sleep, or illnesses such as colds. Fatigue is not extreme or persistent. Instead, it generally goes away after getting more rest or recovering from a cold. Chronic fatigue, however, occurs when symptoms of exhaustion or lack of energy last over 6 months.

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