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A person with CFS feels completely worn-out and overtired. This extreme tiredness makes it hard to do the daily tasks that most of us do without thinking — like dressing, bathing, or eating. Sleep or rest does not make the tiredness go away. It can be made worse by moving, exercising, or even thinking.
CFS can happen over time or come on suddenly. People who get CFS over time get more and more tired over weeks or months. People who get CFS suddenly feel fine one day and then feel extremely tired the next. A person with CFS may have muscle pain, trouble focusing, or insomnia (not being able to sleep). The extreme tiredness may come and go. In some cases the extreme tiredness never goes away. The extreme tiredness must go on for at least 6 months before a diagnosis of CFS can be made.
No one knows for sure what causes CFS. Many people with CFS say it started after an infection, such as a cold or stomach bug. It also can follow a bout of infectious mononucleosis (mono), the “kissing disease” that drains your energy. Some people with CFS say it started after a time of great stress, such as the loss of a loved one or major surgery.
It can be hard to figure out if a person has CFS because extreme tiredness is a common symptom of many illnesses. Also, some medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, can cause extreme tiredness.
The signs of CFS can come and go or they can stay with a person. At first, you may feel like you have the flu. As well as extreme tiredness and weakness, CFS symptoms include:
Many people with CFS report other symptoms too, ranging from a constant cough to feelings of depression. If you think you may have CFS, talk to your doctor.
Experts think as many as half a million Americans have a CFS-like condition. The exact number of people with CFS is not known. CFS can affect people of all ages, racial/ethnic backgrounds, and economic statuses.
More women than men are diagnosed with CFS. But, it is not known for sure that this illness affects more women than men. It may be that women talk to their doctors more often about things like tiredness and pain.
It can be hard for your doctor to diagnose CFS because there is no lab test for it. And many signs of CFS are also signs of other illnesses or medical treatments.
If you think you may have CFS, see your doctor. Your doctor will:
This process can take a long time (even years), so try to be patient with your doctor. While these tests are being done, talk to your doctor about ways to help ease your symptoms.
Right now, there is no cure for CFS. But there are things you can do to feel better. Talk to your doctor about ways to ease your symptoms and deal with your tiredness. You might also try these:
Lifestyle changes:
Medications:
Some people say their CFS symptoms get better with complementary or alternative treatments, such as massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care, yoga, stretching, or self-hypnosis. Keep in mind that many alternative treatments, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies claim to cure CFS, but they might do more harm than good. Talk to your doctor before seeing someone else for treatment or before trying alternative therapies.
Also, keep in mind that your doctor may need to learn more about CFS to better help you. If you feel your doctor doesn’t know a lot about CFS or has doubts about it being a “real” illness, see another doctor for a second opinion. Contact a local university medical school or research center for help finding a doctor who treats people with CFS.
It’s normal to feel cranky, sad, angry, or upset when you have an illness like CFS. Here are some things you can do that may help you to feel better:
If you can't work because of CFS, get in touch with the Social Security Administration for help with disability benefits.
Social Security Administration
Phone Number: 1 (800) 772-1213 (toll free)
Internet Address: http://www.ssa.gov
Both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fund CFS studies. Today, we have a much better understanding of CFS, but researchers are still searching for the cause(s). They also are looking for ways to prevent CFS and for the best ways to ease CFS symptoms. In time, research findings will be used to develop a cure for CFS.
You can find out more about chronic fatigue syndrome by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662 or the following organizations:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Information
Internet Address: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs
Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America
Phone Number(s): (704) 365-2343
Internet Address: http://www.cfids.org
National CFIDS Foundation
Phone Number(s): (781) 449-3535
Internet Address: http://www.ncf-net.org
International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Phone Number(s): (847) 258-7248
Internet Address: http://www.aacfs.org
Social Security Administration
Phone Number(s): 1 (800) 772-1213 (toll free)
Internet Address: http://www.ssa.gov
The Trans-NIH Working Group on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Internet address: http://orwh.od.nih.gov/cfs.html
All material contained in this FAQ is free of copyright restrictions, and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
This FAQ was reviewed by:
Eleanor Z. Hanna, PhD
Office of Research on Women's Health
National Institutes of Health
Current as of June 2006
This site is owned and maintained by the Office on Women's Health
in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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