Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - CFS Symptoms and Diagnosis

Fatigue is a symptom that is often associated with many other medical conditions. Before being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome a doctor will often try to rule out:

In addition to prolonged fatigue, a person must have four or more of the following symptoms to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome:

In order to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a person must have severe and chronic fatigue that lasts six months or more, and other medical conditions that could cause the fatigue must be excluded. The fatigue must significantly interfere with work or daily activities.

Chronic fatigue syndrome can be difficult to diagnose, and also hard to define. A diagnosis of CFS is made when a patient meets at least two of the criteria described on the following slides.

Chronic fatigue syndrome goes by many names, including CFS, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). CFS is a chronic disorder characterized by several debilitating conditions, including severe fatigue. Other symptoms include weakness, impaired memory or concentration, insomnia, muscle pain, and fatigue following exertion that lasts more than 24 hours. The causes of CFS are unknown, and there is no specific test to diagnose the condition. It is diagnosed through exclusion, that is, ruling out other illnesses with similar symptoms.