

Researchers estimate that at least one million Americans have ME/CFS, but only 20 percent are diagnosed with the illness. These costs are estimated to be $18-51 billion annually in the United States. Individuals with ME/CFS, their families and caregivers, employers, and society endure significant costs associated with ME/CFS. Although more common in women, ME/CFS affects people of all ages, including children, and people of all races and ethnicities. Scientists have not determined the cause or causes of ME/CFS. Post-exertional malaise (PEM), a distinguishing feature of the illness, is the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity. While varying by person and affecting many body systems, symptoms include severe fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, problems thinking and concentrating, pain, and worsened memory. Some treatments that are promoted as cures for CFS are unproven, often costly, and could be dangerous.Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/ chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by substantial disability that affects daily activities and is accompanied by profound fatigue that is not relieved by rest. Since the process of developing a treatment plan and attending to self-care can be hard if you have CFS, it is important to have support from family members and friends.ĭon't try any new treatments without talking to your health care provider. You need to make sure that you do not "push and crash." This can happen when you feel better, do too much, and then get worse again. Strategies such as learning new ways to manage activity can also be helpful. If those do not help, you may need to take medicines or see a sleep specialist. For example, if sleep problems affect you the most, you might first try using good sleep habits. You should figure out which symptom causes the most problems and try to treat that first. You, your family, and your health care provider should work together to decide on a plan. There is no cure or approved treatment for CFS, but you may be able to treat or manage some of your symptoms. What are the treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)?

There is no specific test for CFS, and other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. How is chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) diagnosed?ĬFS can be difficult to diagnose. They may change over time - sometimes they might get better, and other times they may get worse.

Adult women have it more often that adult men. Who is at risk for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)?Īnyone can get CFS, but it is most common in people between 40 and 60 years old. It is possible that two or more triggers might work together to cause the illness.

There may be more than one thing that causes it. What causes chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)? Sometimes you may not even be able to get out of bed. CFS can often make you unable to do your usual activities. Another name for it is myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems.
