What Are Extreme Fatigue Symptoms – And How Can You Cope?

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly fast paces. The information age has placed new stresses on people, both in their personal and professional lives. rather than delivering on the promise to free up time for leisure pursuits the access to communication and information on a 24/7 basis has meant that we are very rarely allowed the opportunity to simply relax.

This has in turn led to extreme fatigue symptoms – many individuals are now in very real distress due to the pressures that are being places on them.

Extreme fatigue symptoms are now being characterized by medical professionals under the umbrella term of ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ (CFS) – a condition that is not the result of an underlying medical issue.

The causes are not well understood – they might be the result of psychological stress – or alternatively might be the result of a hard to spot viral infection or an hormonal imbalance but the results can be devastating.

The symptoms can vary from individual to individual – but they almost inevitably result is a severely downgraded ability to function normally – and they negatively impact on the quality of the lives of those suffering from CFS.

One of the most destructive traits of CFS is that it cannot simply be addressed by a simple night’s sleep. those who suffer from the condition will find that disrupted sleeping patterns are only one of the symptoms of CFS.

Included in the bundle of effects is also the inability to focus on tasks and also memory issues. These symptoms work together to actively reinforce each other. Less quality sleep means a lessening of cognitive function – which in turn reinforces anxiety and disrupts sleeping patterns. In effect a vicious cycle forms – and one that it is very difficult to interrupt.

Those suffering from CFS also experience severe muscle and joint pain. Lymph node swelling is also common, as are symptoms such as a sore throat. For this reason many sufferers are often misdiagnosed as having a more than usually persistent cold or other infection.

Making diagnosis even more challenging is the fact that the symptoms tend to come and go in more or less regular cycles. In the United States alone it is estimated that up to 2.5 million people may be suffering from CFS – but that around 85% of them may never receive the correct diagnosis.

The approach by medical professionals at the moment is to rule out other conditions on a step by step basis. Conditions such as Lupus, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia, as well as major depression can also cause the same or similar symptoms.

There is currently no cure for CFS. Extreme fatigue symptoms can only be treated on a case by case basis. those who think they are suffering from the condition should consult a doctor. Self treatment – for instance with sleeping pills may only make the problem worse. A correct diagnosis is the only path back to a state where the patient can once again enjoy a better quality of life.