CFS

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS is a devastating and incredibly complicated disorder. The CFS sufferer is overwhelmed by deep fatigue which bed rest does not improve on and may become worse due to physical, emotional or mental anguish. Many non-specific symptoms are linked to CFS, including weakness, chemical sensitivities, allergies, poor immune function, muscle pain, impaired memory and mental concentration, insomnia, and post-exertion fatigue which lasts for longer than 24 hours. The symptoms of CFS can last for many years and the sad fact of CFS is that the cause or causes of this devastating syndrome are not known.

Patients who present with CFS, may present with the following symptoms mild fever, recurrent sore throat, painful lymph nodes, muscle weakness, muscle pain, migratory joint pain, prolonged fatigue after exercise, recurrent headaches, neurological or psychological complaints. As can be seen the above symptoms fall into many categories and thus the cause of CFS are very broad and it is often led to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

With the recent developments in medical sciences, possible causes of CFS are slowly being identified, these include weakened immunity, and it has been shown that individuals who suffer from CFS are faced with ongoing bouts of flu and colds. However, as with so many of the complication chronic illnesses, CFS may be worsened by a large number of environmental and physiological challenges, such as food allergies, certain odors, heavy metal toxins, yeast overgrowth and certain parasites.

Many general theories exist surrounding the causes of CFS and many doctors believe that CFS is directly linked to psychological disorders or could be linked to anemia and high blood pressure. However, there has been no exacting cause to pinpoint to CFS, and many experts believe that CFS is a culmination of varying conditions and factors, one being the individual’s ability to cope with stress – and the possible triggers to stress, which include, genetic factors, brain abnormalities, and viral, bacterial or fungal agents.

Studies have also focused on deficiencies in terms of causes of CFS and it is also believe that these deficiencies are the main reasons why sufferers have a fragile response to certain psychological or physical stresses – including infection and exercise. Other studies in the causes of CFS have reported that CFS and a strangely high level of serotonin present in the body have a connection. While other studies believe that it is a deficiency of dopamine and other vital neurotransmitters which are a direct link to CFS. In other attempts to explain and rule out causes for this complicated syndrome is linking viral illness to it. It may be a virus or infectious agent which is causing the devastating effects of CFS.

However, because CFS continues to baffle experts – the treatment and cause of CFS remain highly mysterious. It is uncertain as to whether CFS is a direct link of abnormalities within the body, or external factors such as environmental factors which have a direct bearing on the cause of CFS.