CFS

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes persistent fatigue (exhaustion) that affects everyday life and doesn't go away with sleep or rest. 

CFS is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Myalgia means muscle pain and encephalomyelitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Both CFS and ME are commonly used terms. CFS is a serious condition that can cause long-term illness and disability, but many people – particularly children and young people – improve over time.

It is estimated that around 250,000 people in the UK have CFS.

Anyone can get CFS, although it is more common in women than in men. It usually develops in the early 20s to mid-40s. Children can also be affected, usually between the ages of 13 and 15. 

Most cases of CFS are mild or moderate, but up to one in four people with CFS have severe symptoms. These are defined as follows: 

• Mild: you are able to care for yourself, but may need days off work to rest. 
• Moderate: you may have reduced mobility, and your symptoms can vary. You may also have disturbed sleep patterns, and need to sleep in the afternoon.
• Severe: you are able to carry out minimal daily tasks, such as brushing your teeth, but you have significantly reduced mobility. You may also have difficulty concentrating.

symptoms

There are other common symptoms as well as fatigue, although most people do not have all of them. They include:

• muscular pain, joint pain and severe headaches
• poor short-term memory and concentration, and difficulty organising thoughts and finding the right words ('brain fog')
• painful lymph nodes (small glands of the immune system)
• stomach pain and other problems similar to irritable bowel syndrome, such as bloating,constipation, diarrhoea and nausea
• sore throat 
• sleeping problems, such as insomnia and feeling that sleep is not refreshing
• sensitivity or intolerance to light, loud noise, alcohol and certain foods
• psychological difficulties, such as depression, irritability and panic attacks
• less common symptoms, such as dizziness, excess sweating, balance problems and difficulty controlling body temperature

All information is from the NHS website