Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome a Medical Condition?

Until 1994, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome wasn’t even known about, so it is still a new condition that people suffer from. Because of this, people who used to suffer from CFS found that they not only had to suffer in silence, but they had to face negative comments about them and their condition. People who suffer with this condition have been accused of being hypochondriacs or making up their condition.

In 1999, the CDC put millions of dollars into researching this condition and have discovered that it’s a legitimate medical condition. In addition to this the Center for Disease Control and Prevention also found that many more people than originally thought actually suffered from this condition, primarily because of the dismissal of the symptoms.

Now, the medical community has taken some of the first steps to not only have this listed as an official condition, but also discover the cause of it and work toward a cure for it. Medical research is still working to uncover the cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

What Do Studies Show About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)?

Nobody really knows what causes Chronic Fatigue syndrome, but many health care professionals are learning more and more about this condition each and every day. So, here’s what they have found so far:

• CFS is a condition which is characterized with constant extreme fatigue
• This condition lasts for a long time, at least six months
• Symptoms of this condition are not relieved by getting enough rest
• In order to properly diagnose this condition, there must be at least for symptoms present
• Other symptoms include short term memory problems, lack of concentration, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, sore and swollen lymph nodes, new or unusual headaches, sleeping without feeling rested and exhaustion after activity that lasts for more than 24 hours.

Researchers have also found a couple of similarities that many people who suffer from this condition share. The first is that all patients have deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as salt, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, beta carotene, zinc and essential fatty acids such as Omega-3’s.

Research has also found that many people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome have food intolerances such as sugar, processed foods, refined grains, dairy products, beef, pineapple, tomatoes and pumpkin.

There is also a similarity concerning certain environmental factors. People who have CFS are either exposed to chemical contaminants in the air, or biological air contaminants such as pollen or bacteria and inadequate ventilation.

What They Still Don’t Know

This research is still not enough to prove that any of these are causes of chronic fatigue syndrome, but they are helpful in treating the condition. However, it isn’t known exactly what triggers the body’s reaction to such environmental and ingested irritants, nor is it known how certain deficiencies can cause symptoms of CFS, but with continued research, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may soon become a problem which is not only curable, but also easily preventable.