Symptoms and Causes

/Home/Health Conditions/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Alternative Remedies/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Causes & Symptoms

CFS/ME is defined as a condition that involves a severe fatigue that usually has a clear starting point, often after a bout of illness, and that doesn't improve after rest. It makes you less able to cope with levels of activity in your work, school or social life that were previously normal for you. CFS/ME isn't the result of over-exercising. Even normal physical activity may make you feel very tired.

Common symptoms of CFS/ME include:

muscle and joint pain, but with no swelling
fatigue that lasts more than 24 hours after exercise or exertion at a level that you usually used to be able to manage without feeling tired
forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, or difficulty concentrating
sleep disturbances - waking up feeling tired or unrested or having trouble getting to sleep
flu-like symptoms
Other symptoms that are sometimes present in CFS/ME include:

palpitations
sweating
feeling faint or problems with balance
painful glands in your neck or armpits
a sore throat
headaches
feeling sick
mood swings
These symptoms may be caused by problems other than CFS/ME. You should visit your GP for advice.

Your symptoms may vary throughout the day - some days they may be mild and other days more troublesome.

Causes
| health information | health factsheets

Print-friendly version

Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis
Published by Bupa's health information team, January 2008.

This factsheet is for people who have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) - also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) - or who would like information about it.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), known as CFS/ME, is a condition that causes extreme physical and mental tiredness (fatigue) that seriously interferes with a person's daily life.

About CFS/ME
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Management of CFS/ME
Living with CFS/ME
Help and support
Further information
Questions and answers
Related topics
Sources
About CFS/ME
CFS/ME is now recognised by the Department of Health as a real, long-term disease.

CFS/ME can affect any age group, but most commonly starts in people aged between the early 20s and mid 40s. In children, the most common age of onset is 13 to 15, but it can occur in children as young as five. It's about twice as common in women.

Symptoms
CFS/ME is defined as a condition that involves a severe fatigue that usually has a clear starting point, often after a bout of illness, and that doesn't improve after rest. It makes you less able to cope with levels of activity in your work, school or social life that were previously normal for you. CFS/ME isn't the result of over-exercising. Even normal physical activity may make you feel very tired.

Common symptoms of CFS/ME include:

muscle and joint pain, but with no swelling
fatigue that lasts more than 24 hours after exercise or exertion at a level that you usually used to be able to manage without feeling tired
forgetfulness, memory loss, confusion, or difficulty concentrating
sleep disturbances - waking up feeling tired or unrested or having trouble getting to sleep
flu-like symptoms
Other symptoms that are sometimes present in CFS/ME include:

palpitations
sweating
feeling faint or problems with balance
painful glands in your neck or armpits
a sore throat
headaches
feeling sick
mood swings
These symptoms may be caused by problems other than CFS/ME. You should visit your GP for advice.

Your symptoms may vary throughout the day - some days they may be mild and other days more troublesome.


Causes
The cause of CFS/ME is unknown, but it can't be spread from person to person.

Some people develop CFS/ME after an infection, but it's not the same as the normal tiredness that often follows infection with the flu virus. Glandular fever is thought to be a common trigger for CFS/ME. However, many people who develop CFS/ME were previously fit and active.

There are several theories to explain CFS/ME, for example that it's linked to depression or disorders of the immune system (which helps your body fight infection) or the hormonal system. Some research indicates that the nervous system is also involved in CFS/ME. However, more research is needed.

Diagnosis
Your GP will ask about your symptoms and examine you. He or she may also ask you about your medical history. CFS/ME is a difficult condition to diagnose because there aren't usually any physical symptoms that can confirm the presence of the condition. You may need to have blood tests to rule out other illnesses, but there are no tests specifically for CFS/ME.

If your doctor thinks you may have CFS/ME, he or she may give you information about the condition and available treatments aimed at relieving your symptoms.