The contemporary individual is often beset by exhaustion. Whether due to the pressures of a heavy work schedule, a full time academic curriculum or the fast-paced life of raising a young family, people are frequently tired. Further, urban noise can aggravate sleeping problems, creating weariness. However chronic fatigue makes an individual more than just tired. Look for the signs of chronic fatigue to determine if this condition is at the root of ongoing exhaustion.
Length
The number one sign of chronic fatigue is the period of time the individual has endured the condition. Physicians won't consider symptoms of tiredness indicative of chronic fatigue unless the person has felt exhausted for at least six months in a row. About four in a thousand individuals are thought to struggle with the condition.
Severity
Chronic fatigue is not simply the tiredness caused by not getting a good night's sleep or by being overworked. The condition creates a weariness that is not solved by sleep or a weekend's relaxation.An individual with chronic fatigue is tired to the point of being incapable of work, social activities or exercise. They feel unmotivated, are full of lassitude and weakness.
Accompanying Ailments
People with chronic fatigue usually aren't just tired. They usually have a variety of other symptoms that suggest they are suffering with the condition. These include recurrent headaches, swollen lymph nodes, muscle and joint pains, and a loss of memory. Such ailments are not alleviated by sleep and may even worsen after a rest or exercise.
Other individuals may experience digestive problems, sight disturbances, cardiac issues or overall physical weakness. A compromised immune system may also result from chronic fatigue, or even be the cause of the condition in the first place. Viral infections can then more readily result.
Gender
Unfortunately, women are two to four times more likely to suffer from this condition than men. This could be because women are prone to more of certain kinds of stress than men. It could also be connected to a change in women's hormone levels. Women in their forties and fifties are more prone to the disorder than younger individuals.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is still poorly understood. Once diagnosed, doctors are only capable of treating it with medications for depression or insomnia. Some individuals try acupuncture or herbal concoctions. A lifestyle change, and patience, is usually recommended.
The condition frequently lessens over time, though rarely entirely disappears. It is not fatal, but due to the social stigma and depression the disorder can create, may lead to suicidal ideation. Chronic fatigue is indeed a serious condition that should be treated as such.
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