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CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME |
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Diagnosing CFS Of the four million Americans who have CFS, less than 20% have been diagnosed. If you have the symptoms of CFS, you could have this medical condition, or you could have another illness that shares many symptoms of CFS. It's important not to delay seeking a diagnosis and medical care. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that early diagnosis and treatment of CFS can increase the likelihood of improvement. Only a health care professional can diagnose CFS. If you, or someone you love, is experiencing the symptoms of CFS . . . Get informed. Get diagnosed. Get help. How is CFS diagnosed? Because there is no definitive diagnostic test for CFS, it's a diagnosis of exclusion. Your health care professional will first take a detailed medical history, then perform a complete physical exam. Laboratory tests will also be performed to identify underlying or contributing conditions that require treatment. The illness can be diagnosed if the patient meets both of the following criteria: 1. Clinically evaluated, unexplained
persistent or relapsing chronic fatigue that is of new or definite onset (not
lifelong), isn't the result of ongoing exertion, isn't substantially
alleviated by rest and results in substantial reduction in previous levels of
occupational, educational, social or personal activities. 2. Four or more of the following eight
symptoms, persisting or recurring over at least six consecutive months and not
predating the fatigue:
Are there other symptoms? In addition to the diagnostic symptoms listed above, patients may experience a variety of additional symptoms. These may include:
Who can diagnose and treat CFS? Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants can all diagnose CFS when they are familiar with the illness. Diagnosis doesn't require referral to a specialist, but people with CFS may not want to limit their health care team to a primary care physician. Many medical professionals—including rheumatologists, pain specialists, allergists, occupational therapists, psychologists, rehabilitation specialists, exercise physiologists and nurse practitioners—work with CFS patients. Exclusionary ConditionsThere's no diagnostic test or biomarker for CFS, so other medical conditions must be ruled out before a diagnosis of CFS can be established. Chronic fatigue syndrome can resemble many other illnesses, including mononucleosis, chronic Lyme disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, primary sleep disorders and severe obesity. Major depressive disorders must also be ruled out. Although CFS is not a form of depression, many patients develop secondary depression as a result of dealing with a chronic and debilitating illness. Because CFS can resemble so many other disorders, it's important not to self-diagnose CFS. It's not uncommon for people to mistakenly assume they have chronic fatigue syndrome when they have another illness that needs to be treated. If you have CFS symptoms, consult a health care professional to determine if any other conditions are responsible for your symptoms. A CFS diagnosis can be made only after other conditions have been excluded. For More Information Symptoms of
CFS
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