More than 300,000 Germans are affected, but the disease is difficult to diagnose. Here, the pressure is enormous and the people Affected are often no longer able to work.
- The chronic fatigue often starts after a viral infection such as the flu, shingles, Pfeifferschem glandular fever or Norovirus disease.
- A Test that can prove CFS, does not yet exist.
- Some patients, B-vitamins and coenzyme Q10 to help.
The feeling to be exhausted and can’t concentrate, almost everyone knows. In the case of many diseases, such as depression, Burnout or even cancer and Multiple sclerosis this weakness lasts for a long time. However, there is still a much more pronounced fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS to “chronic fatigue syndrome”) or Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Exhaustion continues to increase
“The patients feel very sick,” says Carmen Scheibenbogen, head of the clinic for immune defects of the Charité in Berlin. A quarter of the Affected can no longer rely in the course of the disease the house, and is bedridden, with around 60 percent unable to work, this is demonstrated by various studies.
The Professor advocates for better care structures and information about chronic fatigue syndrome. Because much about the disease, which has not been long recognized as such, is still unknown and little explored.
Only revised or already chronically exhausted?
But how to distinguish is whether or not the constant fatigue, for example, is “only” due to Stress, or is already the beginning of a CFS? “Typical of the chronic fatigue syndrome is that it often occurs following a viral infection,” says the expert. So, if after a flu months of physical exhaustion remains, the suspicion of CFS.
Symptoms for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Other Symptoms of concentration disorders, sleep problems and physical complaints such as muscle aches, joint pains and headaches. Typically, a susceptibility to infections, which take place as in Healthy just one week, three weeks and longer.
Exhaustion and the other symptoms get worse under stress, are considered as a quite safe reference to CFS. “This pronounced exercise intolerance or Post Exertional Malaise, that it is Concerned about the walk to the bakery or the garden for days, worse than before,” says Carmen Scheibenbogen as examples.
Sport is a poison in the case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Exercise and long walks in the fresh air, such as those recommended in other States of exhaustion and slow the forces, again, arouse, cause chronic fatigue, the exact opposite.
The symptoms persist for several months, you should check a doctor. “Contact the house doctor, as there are no specialised clinics for patients with CFS”, says the Professor.
Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is making progress
A series of Tests helps other diseases as a cause of the progressive exhaustion to exclude. About Hepatitis, Thyroid dysfunction, neurological disorders, or fibromyalgia. Also liver diseases have similar symptoms such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
However, CFS patients is a part in addition, an immune defect. Your immunoglobulins are reduced. This explains the high susceptibility and the long duration of even the smallest infections. The number of immunoglobulins (also called antibodies), a blood test to prove.