Learn More About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Do you often feel tired even though you have slept or rested enough throughout the day? If so, it could be a sign of a condition called chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition characterized by fatigue all the time. This certainly will reduce the quality of life of sufferers, because the complaints of fatigue that constantly will make CFS sufferers feel powerless to work or do other activities.

In contrast to fatigue due to heavy physical activity or being not fit, chronic fatigue syndrome suffered by some people can even cause fatigue that is severe enough to make it difficult for them to get out of bed.

Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome can cause symptoms that vary, depending on the severity of the condition experienced by each patient. A person is said to have chronic fatigue syndrome if he feels tired or constantly for more than 6 months with no apparent cause.

In addition to fatigue, the symptoms that can arise from this health disorder are:

• Muscle and joint pain.
• Headache.
• Difficult to concentrate.
• Sleep disturbance, for example, becomes difficult to sleep, sleep more often, or often wake up while sleeping.
• Dizziness when sitting or standing due to decreased blood pressure.
• Psychological problems, such as uncontrolled emotions, frequent panic, and anxiety.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Sore throat.

In addition to the above symptoms, sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome can also experience other symptoms, such as chills and night sweats, indigestion, palpitations, and numbness or tingling in certain parts of the body.

Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Until now, the exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is still unknown. However, the following factors are thought to increase a person's risk of developing this syndrome:

• Weakness in the immune system.
• autoimmune diseases.
• Hormone disorders, for example due to thyroid disease.
• Excessive stress.
• Psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders.
• Cancer.
• Viral and bacterial infections.

To determine whether someone is suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, it is necessary to do an examination by a doctor. In determining the diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a physical examination and trace the history of complaints felt by the patient.

The doctor will also conduct a series of tests to detect whether there are several risk factors above. After confirming the diagnosis and risk factors, the doctor will provide the appropriate treatment.

Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

So far, there are no effective treatment methods to cure chronic fatigue syndrome. However, some steps can be taken to alleviate the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and help sufferers to get back to work and move smoothly.

Once it is known what risk factors can trigger the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients, the doctor will treat these risk factors. The following is a form of treatment that can be done to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome:

Provision of medicines

Your doctor will prescribe medication to treat disorders that are thought to trigger chronic fatigue syndrome.

For example, if symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome arise due to depression, the doctor will prescribe antidepressants to treat depression. This medicine can also be used to help patients sleep more comfortably.

In addition, doctors can also prescribe pain relievers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and aspirin, to treat pain complaints felt by the patient.

In addition to taking medication, the doctor will also suggest psychotherapy to help calm the mind of people with chronic fatigue syndrome. In addition, this method can also be used to further explore the causes of chronic fatigue syndrome, if this condition is suspected to arise due to psychological problems.

One form of psychotherapy that is often used to help sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome is behavioral cognitive therapy.

Physical therapy

Despite feeling tired, CFS sufferers still need to exercise regularly. This is because doing moderate exercise has proven effective for relieving symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

To increase the stamina of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, doctors can recommend physical therapy in the form of graded exercise, which is physical exercise that begins with low intensity, then gradually increased according to the ability of the patient.

In addition to medical treatment, people with chronic fatigue syndrome are also advised to improve their lifestyle to be healthier. Some changes that can be made are:

• Limit the intake of caffeinated and alcoholic drinks.
• Stop smoking.
• Reduce stress by doing relaxation.
• Get enough rest. Try to sleep 7-8 hours every night.
• Eating balanced nutritious food.
• Exercise regularly according to doctor's recommendations.

If you are constantly feeling tired or not energetic, to the point of making you often absent from work or unable to perform daily activities, then you should immediately consult a doctor. This is important to know if you have chronic fatigue syndrome and find out what causes it.

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