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Definition

Clinical entity controversial multi-disease symptoms are not recognized by some medical teams. It is characterized by prolonged fatigue, lasting more than six months, which occurs without reason and that is not improved by rest. The syndrome now called chronic fatigue is a condition characterized by fatigue particularly intense and accompanied by exhaustion, during which the patient complains of various physical and psychological complaints specifically neuropsychological. Usually the chronic fatigue syndrome is confused with that of fibromyalgia but we shall see that there are some essential differences.

Overall patients affected by chronic fatigue are two times more often women than men and rather young while preferentially on fibromyalgia seems he patient a little older although fibromyalgia is also described in the adolescent.

If, in general the medical establishment defines chronic fatigue as a trivial symptom characterized by the onset of fatigue and exhaustion, it seems that the reality of chronic fatigue syndrome, which would cover between 150 to 350 people per 100 000 people in industrialized countries is more complex with more defined causes (especially infectious) that would better differentiate the syndrome of fibromyalgia. They are mainly women between 30 and 50 who are affected by this syndrome.

It seems that chronic fatigue syndrome is comparable to what the ancients called neurasthenia, effort syndrome, the neuromyasthénie epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, hypoglycemia, chronic candidiasis, the hyperventilation syndrome, fumes, chronic mononucleosis, infection with Epstein Barr syndrome, post-viral fatigue etc.

Some “epidemics” of chronic fatigue have been described in the history of medicine. One example is the famous epidemic occurred in Los Angeles in 1934 which had required the hospitalization of many patients at the Los Angeles County Hospital. More recently a series of patients affected by this condition was described in 1985 in Incline Village, Nevada. Specifically, none has been identified for these patients.

Classically the chronic fatigue syndrome starts suddenly in a patient who was previously “normal”. In most cases there is a flu influenza (flu-like) looking ordinary, sometimes a history of stress. Sometimes the onset of pain in joints or muscles may suggest the occurrence of fibromyalgia. However, this symptom, which occurred a little too early for a doctor used to diagnose fibromyalgia, directed to one of chronic fatigue syndrome.

The appearance of a low grade fever (slight fever) allows differential diagnosis with fibromyalgia. Indeed, during this condition (fibromyalgia) there is no hyperthermia or hypothermia, and in general, changes in temperature. This low-grade fever can allow itself not only to differentiate the two diseases but also to consider an infection that sometimes causes the patient to consult.

Then occurring sleep disturbance, concentration difficulties and sometimes depression or other psychological symptoms. In the absence of clinical examination of the patient, pain at palpation (point Yunus) found in fibromyalgia, there is still a risk of confusion with fibromyalgia. As for fibromyalgia patients have increasingly difficult to ensure their social and professional. Some of them even need help with activities of daily living.

Gradually chronic fatigue may lead to patient isolation, frustration and possibly a heartbreaking resignation as in fibromyalgia. Also, like the disease, patients have great difficulty finding a doctor able to understand and diagnose and treat them. Throughout the evolution of chronic fatigue is a period shorter than for fibromyalgia. There is therefore an improvement and healing after a few months, in contrast to fibromyalgia, which requires several years to regress.

Tags: Classically the chronic fatigue, definition of chronic fatigue, epidemics, exhaustion, fibromyalgia