Health - Quick guide to... Chronic fatigue syndrome

11 August 2009 1 min read Health

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes long-term tiredness that affects everyday life but does not go away with sleep or rest. It was suggested last month that swine flu, which children are more susceptible to than adults, could trigger CFS in those who are vulnerable to it. CFS is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence state that doctors should consider diagnosing CFS if a person has fatigue with a clear starting point and a substantial reduction in activity level. Those symptoms must be accompanied by one or more other symptoms including difficulty sleeping, muscle or joint pain, headaches, sore throat, difficulty with thinking, general malaise or flu-like symptoms

There is no cure for CFS, so treatment tends to focus on easing the symptoms. The effectiveness of treatments depends on how CFS affects the individual. CFS usually lasts for several months, and sometimes for years. Most people do recover or are able to adjust their lifestyle to improve their symptoms. Common treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy, medication or graded exercise therapy, which involves a gradual increase in aerobic exercise

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