Millions of US adults have chronic fatigue syndrome: What is this condition?

As many as 3.3 million adults in the United States have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), according to the country’s health agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is the first nationwide representative estimate of the condition and the figures are much higher than what previous studies suggested, reported Associated Press (AP). The CDC report released last week is based on an analysis of 57,000 American adults in 2021 and 2022. What is chronic fatigue syndrome? What does the US CDC report say about the disorder? Let’s find out. Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a condition marked by extreme fatigue or tiredness that persists despite rest. According to the CDC, chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID), is a “complex, multisystem illness characterised by activity-limiting fatigue”. Symptoms The most common symptom of this disorder is fatigue which is severe enough to affect a person’s daily activities, according to Healthline. Dr Eric Ascher, family medicine physician at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told CBS News, “Symptoms are extreme exhaustion after physical exercise and mental effort, unrefreshing sleep, trouble with memory, weight changes, extreme emotional stress, headaches and muscle pain. Because symptoms mirror many other syndromes, it may be hard to diagnose.” [caption id=“attachment_13509162” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Chronic fatigue syndrome can affect people of any age, sex and gender. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] To get a diagnosis, there should be a highly reduced ability to carry out daily tasks, along with fatigue for six months or longer, noted Healthline. People with CFS may feel tired even after a full night of sleep. Patients also experience pain, brain fog, dizziness, lightheadedness and other symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activity. What is the cause? While people of any age could get CFS, the disorder is more common in people aged 50-69. It can affect people of any sex, race and ethnic group. There is no cure for chronic fatigue. It cannot be diagnosed by a blood test or scan either, repored AP. As no single cause has been identified for the condition and its symptoms are similar to other disorders, it becomes more difficult to detect CFS, noted Healthline. While there is no exact known cause yet, Dr Ascher told CBS News that it can occur after “viral or bacterial infections, can be due to genetics, chronic illness (or) autoimmune disease and physical or emotional trauma”. The disorder could develop after infections with different viruses, such as herpes simplex, dengue, Epstein-Barr virus, and even SARS-CoV-2. ALSO READ: What is the Guillain-Barré Syndrome, the rare disorder that has forced Peru to declare national emergency? What has the CDC report found? In the National Health Interview Survey, volunteers in the US were asked if a doctor or other healthcare professional had told them they had chronic fatigue syndrome and if they still have it. Nearly 1.3 per cent of the 57,000 surveyed said yes, which translated to about 3.3 million adults, AP reported citing CDC officials. The officials also said the estimate may include those suffering from long COVID-19. The survey found that the condition was more prevalent in women than men. It was also more common in white people than in some other racial and ethnic groups. [caption id=“attachment_13509172” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Chronic fatigue syndrome is hard to diagnose. Reuters (Representational Image)[/caption] It also busted the misconception that chronic fatigue syndrome, nicknamed “yuppie flu”, is a “rich white woman’s disease”, as per AP. According to the CDC report, more poor people said they had the disorder than affluent people. Dr Brayden Yellman, a specialist at the Bateman Horne Centre in Salt Lake City, in the US state of Utah, told AP that the misapprehension about the disorder may come from the fact that patients who get diagnosed and treated “traditionally tend to have a little more access to healthcare, and maybe are a little more believed when they say they’re fatigued and continue to be fatigued and can’t go to work”. According to experts, just a fraction of the people with chronic fatigue syndrome are diagnosed, the US news agency reported. A 2010 study in Hong Kong had found the syndrome had a prevalence rate of 10.7 per cent,  probably affecting 600,000 adults in the city at that time. The disorder was more common in women, older age groups, and those who had low socioeconomic status, as per AP.  Treatment for CFS While there is no specific cure for CFS, doctors are likely to recommend different types of treatment for relieving pain and sleeping problems. Healthcare professionals may also target post-exertional malaise (PEM) symptoms that occur due to chronic fatigue. PEM takes place after even a small physical, mental, or emotional exertion and worsens CFS. “Treatment is usually to manage symptoms and is multidisciplinary, including movement (yoga and stretching), gentle massages, hydration, a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet (meaning less processed and prepackaged foods) and therapy (both behavioural and physical),” Dr Ascher was quoted as saying by CBS News. Medications could also be recommended if other treatments do not bring relief. With inputs from agencies