How To Know If You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. If you have severe, chronic (ongoing) fatigue, you may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). According to medical research and sources, CFS is characterized by its main symptom of "fatigue" not explained by an existing illness in the person experiencing it. In order for severe, chronic fatigue to be considered as a possibility, it must be experienced for at least six months, with no significant relief during any of this time period. It is also described by medical criteria (for diagnosis) as not being relieved by sleep or rest. People suffering CFS will find that sleep does not refresh them, even when they get adequate or more than adequate amounts of sleep (8 hours or more). This symptom of severe, chronic fatigue is the major, characterizing feature of CFS.
2. If you have joint and muscle pain, in addition to the fatigue described in step #1, you may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. People with CFS will find that they have joint and muscle aches that are very concerning and somewhat disabling, but the joints and muscles will not swell or become red around the joints (as happens with different types of arthritis). These joint and muscle aches will be mild to moderate and will also cause stiffness and slightly reduced mobility. The body aches will resemble those experienced when a person has the flu. With some patients, this symptom is intermittent and with others, it is constant. If a patient has more severe and widespread body pain, along with "tender points," which are small areas where the muscle attaches to joints that are very tender to the touch, this can indicate "Fibromyalgia Syndrome" rather than Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. These two syndromes have 75% crossover similarities.
3. If you have consistently swollen lymph nodes in at least one area of your body, in addition to the symptoms listed in the previous steps, you may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. According to diagnosing criteria published by medical sources, including the Centers for Disease Control, "swollen lymph nodes" are also a major symptom of CFS. These are commonly located in the neck, just under the tonsil area on both sides, with swelling being detectable to the touch (palpation). Lymph nodes under the armpits are also commonly found to be swollen, also detectable by touch. Medical research still does not know the exact cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but some research study conclusions have shown that CFS patients commonly have high titers (lab result measurements) of lifetime viruses. These lifetime viruses (that affect a large percentage of the population) are ones such as the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis in some people who contract the virus. Many people are infected by the Epstein-Barr virus without symptoms but become lifetime carriers of it. In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients, these viruses might explain the flu-like symptoms they experience and the swollen lymph nodes.
4. If you suffer from "Adrenal Fatigue," meaning your adrenal glands tire easily to where you feel easily stressed out and have less ability to cope with and recover from stress, you may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Medical research, including that conducted by the National Institutes of Health, has found that CFS patients are low in an adrenal hormone called "cortisol." This is the "stress hormone" and these studies have concluded that the low adrenal function in CFS patients might be due to an altered "hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis," which is a term to describe the three endocrine glands that regulate adrenal function and work in sync with each other. It is theorized that the function of these glands becomes "blunted" (reduced) in CFS patients and is what results in reduced adrenal cortisol levels. Researchers do not however know if the low cortisol (Adrenal Fatigue) is a cause or result of CFS, but they do believe it is a factor that contributes to symptoms. A person who suspects Adrenal Fatigue or CFS can get home saliva tests kits at their local pharmacy, or online, to determine if their adrenal hormones are low.
5. If you suffer from multiple chemical sensitivities, in addition to the other symptoms found in the previous steps, you may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Many CFS sufferers find that they have become sensitive to many different chemicals that they were not previously sensitive to. They may find that certain household cleaners, perfumes, deodorants, etc. cause them different types of allergic reactions or at least sensitivity symptoms. This can also be true if you become sensitive to certain foods or drinks that were not a problem before and can especially be true of caffeine, chocolate and alcohol. These chemical sensitivities can trigger CFS symptoms more severely when they come in contact with them or consume them.
6. If you find you are experiencing neurological symptoms, in addition to some of the symptoms found in the previous steps, you may have CFS. People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome also find that they will experience headaches of a different or unusual type and a neurological type of pain sensations. They may describe these headaches as nerve-type pains and that the headache seems to radiate to other nerves within their bodies. The body aches we described in step 2 can also have a nerve-type sensation to them that also seems to radiate to other nerves in the body. These type of pains are referred to in medical terms as "peripheral neuropathies" and can be found in other illnesses in addition to CFS, including diabetes and thyroid diseases. In addition to pain, these nerve-related sensations can also include tingling and numbness in the extremities (hands and feet). The neurological symptoms can also include "Neurally Mediated Hypotension," a condition that results in blood pressure regulation becoming irregular, also referred to as "Orthostatic Hypotension." When a CFS patient experiences this neurological symptom, they may feel dizzy and/or faint upon first rising from a seated or lying down (supine) position.
7. If these symptoms described in the previous steps have been ruled out as being related to other illnesses through complete and thorough blood lab tests, this is a strong indicator of CFS. When patients with the above symptoms are thoroughly checked by their doctors and have had a complete battery of tests to rule out all possible causes, this gives a much stronger case for a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are many illnesses and diseases that can present with the same symptoms as CFS but there are also blood lab tests and other diagnostic procedures that can confirm or rule out these other illnesses. Should a patient complete such testing and be found to be "negative" for all other causes, this is the single most definitive way to confirm that a patient's symptoms are caused by CFS.

Patients who are diagnosed should understand that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome does not cause organ damage and is not a fatal illness. Studies of the syndrome have found that some patients recover from CFS within 2 to 5 years of experiencing the onset of it, while other patients may have the illness for many years or throughout their lives. There are treatments that help reduce symptoms and patients who are diagnosed should discuss these with their doctors.