It is also common for people with ME/CFS to have other co-occurring conditions such as fibromyalgia, mast call activation disorder and connective tissue problems. These do not rule out a diagnosis of ME/CFS, but managing them can help improve overall quality of life.
It's also common for people who have ME/CFS to also have other health problems at the same time, such as sleep disorders, irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia.
Some people have developed CFS after having a viral infection like Epstein – Barr virus, Herpes virus 6, and mouse leukemia virus, but there has been no conclusive evidence. Most people with CFS seem to have an impaired immune system which is thought to possibly be the cause of having CFS.
It is possible that CFS is underdiagnosed in more than 80% of the people who have it, or is often misdiagnosed as depression. The main problems in diagnosis are: There is no specific test for CFS. Conditions that share the main symptoms of CFS are possibly also being underdiagnosed.
Profound and debilitating fatigue is the most common complaint reported among individuals with autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.
ME/CFS shares some features of autoimmune illnesses (diseases in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues in own body, like in rheumatoid arthritis). For example, both ME/CFS and most autoimmune diseases are more common in women and both are characterized by increased inflammation.
Autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, are associated with increased levels of fatigue due to “an increase in plasma cytokines, especially during symptom relapse” [3].
Alan Light's ME/CFS/MS study suggests that people with MS may be more fatigued than people with ME/CFS, but experience much less post-exertional malaise. MS is known to be one of the most fatiguing diseases but ME/CFS is significantly more impairing.
There's no simple blood test or X-ray to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome – also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
It's unlikely that you'll need an MRI for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome unless your particular set of symptoms is similar to that of a neurological illness that requires evaluation with an MRI. You may also need an MRI at some point to diagnose an injury or a different illness.
SAN DIEGO, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study reports significantly reduced mental and physical fatigue in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID patients, with the administration of oral Anhydrous Enol-Oxaloacetate, (AEO), a medical food and nutritional supplement.
New Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 2023: A groundbreaking breakthrough occurred in 2023 with the introduction of a new treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Australian scientists have discovered a potential game-changer called low-dose Naltrexone (LDN).
Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more lifestyle issues, such as poor sleep habits or lack of exercise.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long term (chronic) neurological condition that affects the nervous and immune systems. People with ME/CFS experience severe pain and fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise (PEM).
Also, a person must concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration; sore throat; tender lymph nodes; muscle pain; multi-joint pain without swelling or redness; headaches of a new type, pattern or severity; unrefreshing sleep; and post-exertional ...
Doctors might refer patients to see a specialist, like a neurologist, rheumatologist, or a sleep specialist, to check for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These specialists might find other conditions that could be treated. Patients can have other conditions and still have ME/CFS.
Diagnosing ME/CFS
There is not a specific test for ME/CFS, so it's diagnosed based on your symptoms and by ruling out other conditions that could be causing your symptoms. The GP will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may also have blood and urine tests.
For some people with ME/CFS, however, symptoms can get worse over time.
Patients with CFS have many similar symptoms as those with fibro — brain fog, constant exhaustion, headaches, and poor sleep. And like fibromyalgia, women are much more likely to have CFS than men. But there are differences between them. People with chronic fatigue have enlarged lymph nodes and sometimes a sore throat.
On top of that, Dr Teitelbaum, medical director of Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, claims that caffeine can worsen other mechanisms in the body that can cause exhaustion. He says, “Caffeine actually aggravates adrenal exhaustion and low blood sugars, amplifying the anxiety and stress symptoms of fatigue”.
Based on visual observation, the ancients characterised inflammation by five cardinal signs, namely redness (rubor), swelling (tumour), heat (calor; only applicable to the body' extremities), pain (dolor) and loss of function (functio laesa).
Hydrogenated Oils. It can be hard to avoid these oils, which can be found in margarine, candy bars, cake mixes, processed foods, and even seemingly innocent coffee creamers. Like sugar, hydrogenated oils promote inflammation in the body that can worsen your CFS symptoms, Chong says.
Fibromyalgia causes pain, tenderness, fatigue, sleep problems, and other health conditions. Fibromyalgia causes bodywide pain and extreme tiredness. It can be confused with arthritis because it may cause pain in joints, muscles and soft tissues. But doctors consider fibromyalgia a pain disorder.