| Do you have the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue | | | | SyndromeThere has been a lot of debate about |
| Syndrome (CFS)?Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or | | | | how best to define Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. |
| CFS is very hard to diagnose as there are no | | | | An international panel |
| laboratory tests for this painful and | | | | |
| debilitating disease, there are no physical | | | | of CFS research experts was convened in 1994 |
| signs identifying CFS, and because chronic | | | | to draft a definition of CFS that would be |
| fatigue symptoms can vary widely from person | | | | helpful to both researchers studying the |
| to person.What's more, people who suffer the | | | | disease and doctors who were trying to |
| symptoms of CFS must be carefully evaluated | | | | diagnose it. What was decided, according to |
| by a physician because many treatable medical | | | | the Centers for Disease Control was that a |
| and psychiatric conditions are hard to | | | | diagnosis of CFS would be made only if a |
| distinguish from CFS. Common conditions that | | | | patient satisfied these two criteria. First, |
| should be ruled out through a careful medical | | | | you must had extreme fatigue that has lasted |
| history and appropriate testing include | | | | at least six months that is not the result of |
| mononucleosis, Lyme disease, thyroid | | | | ongoing efforts; is not substantially |
| conditions, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, | | | | relieved by rest; and that causes a |
| various cancers, depression and bipolar | | | | substantial reduction in daily activities. |
| disorder.Defining Chronic Fatigue | | | | |