An intense day at work and a flurry of duties are capable of giving us a hard time. When overloaded we return home, we no longer dream of anything but going to bed. Seeing our exhaustion, feeling exhausted, loved ones from the threshold may greet us with advice such as: “go to bed earlier,” “take the day off,” “rest at last.” But what if, despite putting these tips into practice, we don’t feel any improvement? Should it worry us that even after treating ourselves to a good dose of rest, we continue to lack strength?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ( CFS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a syndrome of medical symptoms associated with prolonged feelings of severe fatigue. Initially, it was thought to be an ailment found only among the younger generation, pursuing intense career advancement and experiencing high pressure from workplace competition. However, it is now known that the syndrome can occur in anyone – regardless of age and gender. Even cases of occurrence in children and adolescents have been recorded. Most often, however, CFS is faced by women over the age of thirty – those who are professionally active, impose a fast pace of life on themselves, and simultaneously take care of the home and raising children.
Chronic fatigue syndrome – causes
The 21st century could be described in words such as: rush, stress and confusion. The causes of chronic fatigue, are related to the barrage of daily responsibilities and the piling up of deadlines turn our lives into a constant rush. Go to work, join the bank, pick up the child from school, do the shopping, clean the apartment, pay the electricity bills… Reminding ourselves how many things are on our minds, we create a sizable list. What’s more, it grows every second, taking on skyrocketing proportions. It takes considerable effort to deal with everything in a timely manner. By constantly functioning “at high speed”, nowadays it is more and more common to observe a prolonged feeling of fatigue and even continuous fatigue syndrome. As with many other ailments, however, this is not the only possible etiology of the problem. There are many different factors that can cause CFS symptoms, such as viral infections or genetics.
Other frequently cited causes of chronic fatigue syndrome include:
- hormonal imbalances,
- disorders occurring on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, increased cortisol
- problems with the functioning of the immune system,
- autoimmune diseases,
- disorders of lactic acid metabolism in muscles,
- unhealthy lifestyle,
- lack of proper sleep hygiene,
- past viral infections,
- overwork, too intense work pace,
- occupational burnout,
- nutritional deficiencies,
- perfectionism, having very high ambitions,
- imposing too many responsibilities on oneself,
- a combination of several of the above factors.
Chronic fatigue syndrome – a troublesome symptom
There is a long list of symptoms associated with chronic fatigue. Not all of those described below need to occur to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Instead, of great importance is the length of time the symptoms persist – CFS can be inferred when they last for more than six months, at least six consecutive months. The disease presents in some patients as long-term fatigue and other symptoms, such as memory problems, headache and dizziness. Chronic fatigue is one of the symptoms,chronic fatigue can cause significant changes in the current lifestyle of the sufferer. Fatigue is observed in CFS patients even after little physical exertion. Getting out of bed can be difficult for chronic fatigue sufferers, as fatigue can be very bothersome in the morning and throughout the day.
Non-transient exhaustion
Everyone experiences fatigue from time to time, usually associated with strenuous mental work or prolonged physical training. What should worry us, however, is exhaustion that has persisted for months and does not want to go away for any reason. After all, consecutive days should not be associated with feeling such prolonged fatigue, especially when they are not filled with constant activity on our part. This is a significant signal that something wrong is happening to our body. The development of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can take gradual control over our functioning.
Overwhelming lack of strength
Chronic fat igue is primarily a lack of energy to perform daily activities. They seem to be beyond our capabilities and challenges that cannot be met. Right from the morning we are overwhelmed with zero energy and feel that the tasks piling up in front of us are too much of a burden. We feel like running away from them and doing something to regain our strength again… Only that no matter what we do, it still won’t bring the desired results.
Fatigue despite inactivity
Occurring in chronic fatigue syndrome, the scant level of perceived energy persists despite the absence of any activity. Throughout the day, we may feel as if we have just finished an intense workout and are in desperate need of rest, while we have not even left our bed for a moment. We have the least energy, moreover, first thing in the morning, right after waking up – when we should theoretically have the most energy.
Ineffective sleep
Sleep disorders that occur in patients are linked to sleep inefficiency. This means that, despite its appropriate length, it does not produce the desired results – regeneration. Thus, it doesn’t matter whether we sleep the number of hours recommended by scientists or not, we still won’t feel rested and ready to start another day.
Although chronic fatigue syndrome and insomnia are two separate problems, they can affect each other and occur together, in some people. People with chronic fatigue syndrome often experience sleep disorders such as insomnia, although this is not an indispensable symptom of the condition. Insomnia is a clinical symptom that can affect patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Persistent sleep problems over a long period of time promote the onset of depression, and for those who have already struggled with the disorder, the risk of recurrence increases. Pre-existing symptoms can often worsen.
Frequent pains
Chronic fatigue syndrome can be combined with the occurrence of pain and dizziness. In addition, sore throat, muscle and joint pains also occur. Painful symptoms may worsen one day and completely disappear on another. They appear unexpectedly and with varying frequency. They are unpredictable and thus extremely bothersome and reduce overall well-being.
Lowering of mood
The occurrence of chronic fatigue is also manifested by a lowering of mood. This is directly related to the poorer mood and sleeplessness that long-term patients face. When daily commitments seem to be overwhelming and thoughts constantly revolve around the immense fatigue to be faced, apathy and lack of desire to do anything arises. We then withdraw and don’t feel like spending time the way we liked to do it before. There may also be irritability, a response to the overwhelming amount of stimuli in the environment.
Deterioration of cognitive function
Due to sleeplessness, CFS sufferers experience a reduction in concentration. Worse concentration results in slower performance of tasks at work, less accurate completion of duties, or difficulty sustaining conversations with loved ones. Memory also deteriorates – it can contribute to difficulty recalling facts. Overall mental efficiency is not rated as satisfactory, and the assimilation of new information may be impaired.
Lack of rest
For CFS sufferers, even an adequate amount of sleep is not the same as recovery. Patients admit that they no longer know what it means to get a decent night’s sleep – the words seem like an empty platitude. They’ve forgotten what it’s like to wake up every morning with a new outlay of energy, because they haven’t actually slept for months or even years. Also, relaxation seems to be an abstract concept for the chronically tired and out of touch with reality. Even going on vacation and taking a break from work and gray daily life, the sick do not rest realistically and return to their established routine with the same feeling of fatigue as before.
Chronic fatigue – CFS syndrome symptoms additional:
- enlargement of lymph nodes,
- elevated body temperature,
- night sweats,
- nausea,
- weight changes,
- impaired physical activity
- lack of appetite,
- visual disturbances,
- dry mouth,
- psychomotor retardation,
- frequent infections, virus
- headaches
- immune system problems
- anxiety.
“It’s just fatigue!”… Are you sure?
Fatigue can be downplayed at first by ourselves. So what if on some days it becomes almost impossible for us to get out of bed? After all, somehow we get ourselves together… When the problem is already big and strongly concerns us, it is not uncommon to be belittled by loved ones. More than once one can hear: “I’m tired sometimes too, but I drink coffee and it passes” or “You’re exaggerating, it’s just laziness. Don’t complain, just get to work.”
Disregarding fatigue, however, is not the way to go. Whether it’s us or someone close to us who is struggling with this insidious problem, it doesn’t pay to pretend that nothing is happening. Especially since ignoring fatigue worsens the quality of life.
A life dominated by fatigue
Once filled with energy and eager to take on more challenges – today notoriously powerless, unable to get any form of rest and wondering how to cure chronic fatigue. This is how CFS sufferers could characterize themselves, as they slowly lose hope of returning to normalcy.
The lack of energy is debilitating and leads to a gradual deterioration of functioning in various areas of life is diagnostic. Both personal, social and professional lives suffer. Responsibilities that we previously performed flawlessly are now more difficult for us to fulfill, and just getting down to it is no small feat. We withdraw from social life, and the only companion becomes the fatigue that does not leave us for a moment. Spending time with loved ones is too tiring, but when we are alone with ourselves, we also get fed up. Passions and activities that used to fill free time and bring satisfaction are neglected.
Fatigue syndrome- towards correct diagnosis, diagnosis
It still happens that before chronic fatigue syndrome is properly diagnosed, a lot of time passes and the patient bounces from one office to the next. Correct diagnosis and treatment is made more difficult by the fact that many symptoms can indicate the presence of a number of other diseases. These include sleep disorders, anemia, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, lead poisoning, mononucleosis, Lyme disease, schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Kidney, liver, heart and lung diseases are also on the radar. Neurasthenia is also similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, but there are several important factors that differentiate the two disease entities (including the length of the symptoms and the substrate).
How to detect chronic fatigue syndrome?
The hallmark symptoms of chronic fatigue, such as chronic fatigue, weakness and impaired concentration, can be difficult to diagnose. A variety of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) symptoms are observed, such as fatigue, muscle aches, sleep disturbances and mood drops.
Most often, arriving at the diagnosis is related to the elimination of other diseases. The doctor orders a succession of tests to confirm or rule out other ailments accompanied by very similar symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome. Only at the end of this path is it confirmed that we are dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome.
While the tests may take some time, it is worthwhile to perform a detailed diagnosis so that the exact cause can be determined and the appropriate treatment can be applied.
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome – how to regain energy
Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome most often focuses on eliminating the symptoms of chronic fatigue that make life significantly more difficult and uncomfortable. The doctor therefore focuses on selecting the right treatment to reduce fatigue. Antidepressant treatment can be used in cfs patients to alleviate symptoms such as depression and mood disorders.
Vitamin- and mineral-rich supplements are also recommended to support normal body function. The most common remedies here are those rich in iron, magnesium and B vitamins. If CFS is caused by another disease, for example, a mental disorder such as depression, other agents are also included in the treatment, in this case antidepressants. Properly selected pharmacology is the basis through which the patient can get back on his feet and feel a real difference.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
An important part of treatment is psychotherapy. Through it, the client is able to get to the root of his problems and begin to organize his time better. By looking at oneself from a different perspective than before and setting new goals, one works on one’s attitude and establishes values that are most important in the face of the diagnosis. Proper time management and implementing daily habits that help you rest effectively can be the key to success in this case. It is also important to understand the importance of understanding the signals sent by the body and listening to one’s own needs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy influences a change in previous attitudes and thinking. This is because realizing the importance of rest and consciously implementing tailored solutions leads to achieving an optimal lifestyle and getting rid of the feeling of constant fatigue.
Working with a psychotherapist is also often based on learning effective techniques for dealing with stress. A number of relaxation methods are extremely helpful, but the best results are noticed when they are implemented on a permanent basis and performed regularly. Frequently mentioned forms include breathing exercises, meditation and Jacobsen relaxation, among others.
It is not worth waiting and hoping that everything will fix itself and return to normal. The sooner we put ourselves in the hands of specialists, the sooner our functioning will improve. With professional help, we have a chance to return to full strength. Even from the deepest abyss of fatigue it is possible to climb out. Don’t let fatigue run your life any longer.