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Did You Know? Everything You Wanted to Know About CFS Part Two

Did you know that allergies are sometimes believed to be at fault for causing chronic fatigue syndrome? However that is not all. Other possible causes given for the development of CFS include exposure to certain toxins and/or chemicals, as well as nutritional deficiencies such as a lack of vitamin B12 or magnesium, trauma or imbalance in the musculoskeletal system such as a neck injury or whiplash sustained in an accident and finally sleep disorders combined with an excess amount of stress.

Did you know that The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 800,000 people in the United States presently suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome? In fact some experts theorize that the number is closer to one million or more.

Did you know that chronic fatigue syndrome affects people all across the globe as well as individuals who are in all ethnic groups and all racial groups? Studies have shown that chronic fatigue syndrome is as prevalent among Hispanics and African Americans as it is among those who are Caucasian.

Did you know that chronic fatigue syndrome is a difficult disease to diagnose because many of its symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other types of disorders? As the name suggests, chronic fatigue syndrome involves excessive tiredness (or fatigue) that develops over a period of time and can become debilitating to a person's quality of life. However fatigue or prolonged fatigue which it really is in this instance, is a factor in literally hundreds of different kinds of illnesses and therefore isolating the one trait that makes this disease that of chronic fatigue syndrome is not easy for doctors and healthcare practitioners. For example 10 to 25 percent of all patients suffering from one type of health problem or another find themselves experiencing fatigue.

Did you know that chronic fatigue syndrome can be made worse by other kinds of mental or physical problems and it can drastically affect an individual's quality of life? This is the case. As energy levels quickly can become depleted which can decrease the sufferer's level of stamina. With little or no energy, a person will begin to change the way she lives her life and often many activities that a person once enjoyed disappear. CFS affects all areas of a person's functioning and this includes their personal life, their social life, their occupation and so forth.

Did you know that a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome can only be made conclusively after a series of tests has been done on the patient? Be aware however that if a person has been suffering from unexplained and prolonged fatigue for a period of six months or longer then CFS is likely to blame. If the patient also exhibits a number of other characteristic symptoms then the doctor is inclined to lean towards a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Did you know that the characteristic symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome are often referred to as primary symptoms and there are eight in total? If a person suffers from cognitive dysfunction, which includes problems concentrating, or impaired memory or even memory lapses then you could suffer from CFS. If a person suffers from "post exertional malaise" that lasts for more than a 24-hour period and it occurs after a strenuous mental or physical exercise then it is likely caused by CFS.