Lots of symptoms, no drugs, a vague definition… chronic fatigue syndrome is nonetheless a disabling problem, less rare than you might think.

Great fatigue, pain everywhere, disturbed sleep, difficulty concentrating... difficult to define what you are suffering from. Sometimes it is a psychological illness such as depression or a burnout. Sometimes it is less easily explained. In these cases, the symptoms may point to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Triggered suddenly following an illness or settling gradually, it is often described by patients as a prolonged flu-like state with intense physical exhaustion sometimes making it difficult to stand up, as well as diffuse muscle pain.

 

Sleep is no longer restorative, that is to say, we wake up tired even after a good night's sleep. Patients also very often report attention problems, memory loss or difficulty concentrating. Physical or mental exertion leads to an aggravation of all symptoms. The ability to engage in activities is reduced by at least 50%.

Studies show a disruption of the stress response and energy production systems. These dysfunctions affect in particular stress hormones (such as cortisol) and the vegetative nervous system which takes care of the automatic functions of the body, such as blood pressure for example). They also affect the immune system. These disturbances can also be found in other related pathologies, such as fibromyalgia or depression.