Statistics And Myths Behind Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated in early 1990’s that 10 in every 100,000 persons were medically treated for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A prevalence study in 1999 evaluated a large random sample of persons living in the metropolitan Chicago area. The study revealed rates of 422 persons per 100,000. More recent studies came to the conclusion that there are 800,000 adults in the USA that have been seen by medical personnel and have exhibited symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Symptom. This number is twice the number of known Multiple Sclerosis sufferers. These rates signify a disease that is gathering the attention of the American public. Physicians are trying to understand how to diagnose the disease better in an illness that presents itself in a wide variety of symptoms.

It has long been thought to be that a virus might possibly be the culprit behind CFS. Recent research indicates though that it just might be a combination of factors like one or more viruses combined with environmental toxins, stress and a certain amount of genetic connection.

Myths

Myth #1 - People with CFS are just tired from being overworked or from too much stress

Fact – Persons being medically treated with the disease have been shown to have abnormal issues with their immune, neurological, endocrine or other body systems.

Fact - The fatigue felt by those with CFS is far more extreme than the fatigue felt by a person who has physically exerted him or herself or simply has had a busy day

Myth #2 - People with CFS are just depressed or mentally ill.

Fact – In the 1999 study mentioned earlier, 60% of the people diagnosed with CFS had never experienced depression prior to the onset of the CFS symptoms.

Fact – People who suffer from depression generally feel better with exercise. Those who suffer from CFS will worsen with exercise due to their bodies inability to handle the physical stress.

Fact - Those medically determined to be depressed have been found to have enlarged adrenal glands. People who have been examined by a physician who have CFS have been found to have small, low-functioning adrenal glands.

Fact – New research has uncovered patients with lesions in their brains that can decrease blood flow, which may account for some of the symptoms CFS patients experience – confusion, memory loss, inability to concentrate.
In 2002 the diagnosis code for those suffering the symptoms of CFS became coded as “other disorders of the brain”.

As with most diseases there are bound to be those who misunderstand it. As new research brings forth better data, the medical professionals and general public will hopefully understand the disease more. In the meantime, finding out about what information is available, and lending support to those who suffer from symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, lobbying legislators and the research community at large to do more to uncover the causes and medical mysteries behind Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is what we all can do, to be supportive of those who suffer.