Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Causes, Risk Factors & Management 

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex condition that's characterized by severe fatigue that can't be explained by an underlying medical condition. This fatigue doesn't improve with rest and can be made worse with mental or physical activity. The symptom of chronic fatigue can also be due to more than one underlying condition.

Causes

The exact cause of CFS is unknown, but it may be due to a combination of factors that affect individuals who were born predisposed to this condition.

Some possible causes are thought to be:

• Viral infections - such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), although no conclusive link to this has been discovered as of yet.
• Hormonal imbalances - abnormal levels of hormones produced in areas such as the adrenal and pituitary glands, as well as the hypothalamus are thought to lead to CFS.
• Immune system problems - such as an impaired immune system.

Risk factors

The following are regarded as possible risk factors for the development of CFS.

• Being female is a higher risk factor than being male.
• Individuals in their 40s and 50s.
• Having increased stress levels.

Symptoms

There are 8 official signs and symptoms, with the inclusion of fatigue, that gives CFS its name. These are also the signs and symptoms used as the diagnostic criteria for CFS, because there is no single test that can confirm its diagnosis, although investigations need to be done to exclude other conditions that cause similar issues.

The signs and symptoms are: 

• A new type of headache or one with a different severity or pattern.
• Sore throat.
• Unexplained muscle pain.
• Loss of concentration or decreased memory.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in your armpits or neck.
• Sleep that doesn't result in a refreshed feeling in the morning.
• Pain that moves around the joints with no redness or swelling.
• Severe exhaustion that carries on for more than 24 hours after mental or physical exercise.

Complications

CFS can cause certain complications, and they include the following:

• Restrictions in the affected individual's lifestyle.
• Depression.
• Increased absences from work.
• Social isolation

READ Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Management

CFS affects different people in different ways. Therefore, the treatment strategy for each affected individual may be different. 

Certain medications can offer symptomatic relief, and they include:

• Sleeping tablets - sleep hygiene is usually advocated such as avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bed, taking a warm bath and choosing a regular time to go to sleep. If these suggestions don't work, then sleeping tablets may be prescribed.
• Anti-depressants - many people diagnosed with CFS can suffer from depression. Ant-depressants may then be prescribed to help these patients with their mood as well as improve sleep and relieve pain.

Certain therapies can also help patients diagnosed with CFS.

• Graded exercise - a physical therapist can help determine what types of exercise can help depending on one's activity level. If the patient is inactive, they are started on stretching and range-of-motion for just a few minutes a day. These exercises are increased slowly over weeks to months. The patient's endurance will then improve as they gradually increase the intensity of the exercise over time.
• Psychological counseling - a psychologist can be consulted to help figure out options to work around some of the limitations that CFS is causing. This helps the patient feel more in control of their lives and the CFS instead of the other way around. Self-management strategies and cognitive behavioural therapy are among the most helpful.