You’re not alone if you’ve experienced an unending, intense tiredness that isn’t resolved by resting.
According to recent data provided by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, around 3.3 million persons in the United States are affected by chronic fatigue syndrome.
The CDC describes chronic fatigue syndrome (sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS) as a disorder in which extreme exhaustion does not go away with rest. Pain, lightheadedness, and issues with sleep, thinking, and concentration are some more symptoms.
Between 2021 and 2022, 57,000 American individuals were surveyed to find out if they had received a professional diagnosis of CFS or ME and if they were still struggling with the illness.
According to the results, 1.3% of adults are thought to have CFS, proving that the illness “is not a rare illness,” co-author Elizabeth Unger of the CDC told the Associated Press.
However, as there is no blood test or scan for diagnosis, some CFS sufferers frequently go untreated, suggesting that the prevalence may potentially be larger than previously thought.
Although CFS can affect persons of any age, it is most common in those between the ages of 40 and 60 and in women. However, there was no difference between Black and White people and less of a disparity between women and men than earlier research had revealed.
According to the AP story, the survey also revealed that a greater proportion of those who were economically disadvantaged than those who were more affluent reported having CFS, dispelling the myth that the condition mainly affects the rich.
According to Dr. Brayden Yellman, a specialist at the Bateman Horne Centre in Salt Lake City, Utah, those who are diagnosed and treated “traditionally tend to have a little more access to health care, and maybe are a little more believed when they say they’re fatigued and continue to be fatigued and can’t go to work,” which could be the source of these misconceptions.
What causes CFS has not yet been identified by researchers. According to the National Institutes of Health, prior research has indicated that it might instead be a chronic overreaction of the body to an infection or compromised immune system.
There is presently no known treatment for the illness, however certain symptoms can be controlled with alterations to lifestyle.
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