Is your day just passing by feeling lethargic and exhausted? Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this. The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant negative impact on all of our energies since it entered our life. It threw off the harmony between work and life and made most of us stressed. But if you’ve been feeling tired for a prolonged period of time without any obvious reason, it’s a sign that something is wrong with you. Perhaps it’s time for you to learn more about chronic fatigue syndrome and its signs.

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex illness. Extreme fatigue that is caused by this condition can last for a very long time. An Institute of Medicine (IOM) research states that between 836,000 and 2.5 million Americans are thought to have ME/CFS. Most of them, nevertheless, have not yet received a diagnosis.

HealthShots got in touch with Dr Jyoti Kapoor, Manasthali Wellness, Gurugram, Haryana, to understand the symptoms and causes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Here are common chronic fatigue syndrome signs

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome get worse with physical or mental exertion which can not be improved with rest. Most importantly the symptoms can differ from person to person and can change from day to day.

In addition to fatigue, symptoms may include:

• Extreme exhaustion
• Low or high body temperature
• Problems with memory or thinking skills
• Feeling uncomfortable at night
• Dizziness
• Muscle or joint pain
• Lack of quality sleep
• Muscle pain
• Frequent headache
• Flu-like symptoms

Know the causes of chronic fatigue syndrome:

Dr Kapoor says the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is still unknown. However, a combination of factors can involve:

1. Genetics: Chronic fatigue syndrome appears to run in some families. Therefore, some people may be born with a higher likelihood of having the disorder in their life if anyone in the family is dealing with it or has a history of it.

2. Infections: Some people develop chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms after getting better from a viral or bacterial infection. This occurs because these infections severely lower your energy levels and wreak havoc on your immunity. This can result in chronic fatigue syndrome.

3. Physical or emotional trauma: Some people report that they experienced an injury or surgery shortly before their symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome began. Apart from physical trauma, emotional stress is also one of the significant causes of it.

4. Problems with energy usage: Some people who experience weakness and fatigue have trouble turning the body’s fuel, primarily sugars and fats, into energy. Over time, this may raise the possibility of CFS.

5. Hormonal abnormalities: The main cause of exhaustion may potentially be a change in hormone levels. Your unhealthy diet, stress, heart issues, unexplained weight gain or loss, and digestive issues are to be blamed for hormonal imbalance.

You should see your doctor if you have any or a few chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms for an extended period of time.

How is chronic fatigue syndrome treated?

Your doctor can decide how to treat chronic fatigue syndrome based on your symptoms. However, the typical course of action might involve:

• Medication
• Nutritional supplements
• Low-intensity exercise
• Stress management techniques