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Although gender is not a proven factor as far as tiredness and fatigue is concerned, research shows that three of every five people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome are women. People who are under stress are the most likely to fall victim to extreme and constant tiredness because stress is the major catalyst in the final stages of manifestation of the problem to becoming a fully blown syndrome. It is shown that over 80 percent of fatigue and tiredness problems have undergone some form of stress, whether work related or domestic.

Examining the reasons for excessive tiredness is not easy because most patients often do surprisingly well in their social and work life before they snap. Most patients often toil with tiredness and take it to be normal until the symptoms turn into worrying signs of fatigue syndrome that is characterized by tender or swollen lymph glands at the back of the neck, groin and arms, inflamed throat and tender muscles. After ruling out a number of diseases that have similar characteristics including anemia, cancer, epilepsy and liver diseases among others, the process of ascertaining that the problem is tiredness can be very worrying.

There are many causes of extreme tiredness but they all narrow down to how the patients treat themselves. The symptoms of tiredness and fatigue may vary in most cases depending on what caused the tiredness in the first place but advanced cases of this condition are characterized by depression, sloppiness, loss of memory, lack of focus and concentration and laziness. You need not be a slave to tiredness and fatigue, it never goes away by itself, no matter the responsibilities you have or expectations you set. Preventing chronic tiredness and fatigue is one way of ensuring that you lead a normal healthy life without interruptions of having to get professional assistance as soon as you snap!

In 1982, a 21-year-old North Hollywood ballerina named Cynthia Toussaint developed her first chronic fatigue symptom following a hamstring injury. She described her pain as “being doused with gasoline and lit on fire.” Muscle spasms contracted her right arm and leg, folding her limbs up and making her feel constantly fatigued. She had trouble keeping her eyes open and frequently fell asleep in chairs. “I was bedridden for a decade and could barely crawl to go to the toilet,” she told www.ABCNews.com. “They said it was in my head — that I had stage fright or tendonitis from Mars. People said I was making it up.” Eventually she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome awareness began in 1984, after several hundred patients developed flu-like symptoms in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Patients complained of extreme fatigue (the primary chronic fatigue symptom), as well as sore throats, mild fevers, headaches, memory loss and confusion. Doctors found most patients had several concurrent viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr and herpes virus 6. At the time, the Centers for Disease Control thought these symptoms were little more than frenzied hysteria.

The most well-known symptom is fatigue. However, this fatigue is nothing like what most individuals feel after a demanding workout at the gym or a particularly stressful day at work. The Centers for Disease Control describes it as “severe, incapacitating and all-encompassing.” Individuals with CFS often can’t go to work, attend school, take part in social pursuits or deal with their personal needs because they always feel mentally foggy and bodily rundown. In the most serious instances, patients never leave their beds or their houses. Lately, it’s been discovered that the problem might be linked to a chronic fatigue retrovirus known as XMRV.

“Life for us is different,” explains Janet Krause, 58, who has been suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for at least 15 years. “We have to constantly balance what we can do, and people don’t understand that. That’s why a lot of relationships and friendships break up.” Krause experienced her first chronic fatigue symptom in her twenties, when she suffered from skin rashes, sinus problems, chemical sensitivity, migraines, breathing difficulty, sore throats, arthritic pain, eye focus problems and debilitating fatigue. By 2005, she could no longer work in the hospital food service, since she was dropping boxes at work, couldn’t hold a pencil and was ready for bed at 3 pm. Just a small trip to the store would leave her incapacitated for the rest of the day.

In addition to the chronic fatigue symptom of extreme exhaustion, many CFS patients begin to suffer from depression. It can be difficult explaining to friends and family members why you can’t do something. No one seems to understand why a “little bit of rest and relaxation” can’t make you feel better. Surely you must be exaggerating that you can’t finish putting up the Christmas decorations or take a small trip to the store, right? According to Dr. Robert Matsko Sr. of Marysville, Pennsylvania, “Chronic fatigue syndrome is a viable medical condition. It’s not ‘all in your head.’” Hopefully, future research regarding the CFS virus will solidify the idea that, while the syndrome has mental repercussions, this condition has real physical roots.

If you think you might be experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, you need to visit your doctor. But you also need to educate yourself and your family. Find the help you need at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Help.

One of the most common complaints that fibromyalgia patients have is chronic fatigue (CF). Other symptoms include widespread tender points all over the body, sleep disturbances, depression, headaches, osteoarthritis and irritable bowel syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome patients also feel tenderness in their lymph nodes, joints and muscles, although their primary problem is debilitating fatigue, unrefreshing sleep and post-exertion malaise. For both syndromes, there are currently no scientific tests used to diagnose patients, which makes treatment difficult.

Severe fibromyalgia and CF sufferers say that fatigue is the most devastating part of their illness because they feel overly sensitive to pain and never feel entirely alert, which can impact all of their daily activities. Accordingly CF and fibromyalgia treatments usually start with managing sleep patterns, states Mary Rose, a clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep specialist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

“We know from studies that sleep has a positive effect on pain, mood, and the overall way that individuals feel throughout the day,” she explains. “Regardless of the explanations for CF, if we can get some control over quality of sleep, you’re almost certain to realize a positive impact on concentration, mood and fatigue.”

“In fibromyalgia, all treatments are geared toward helping people sleep better,” agrees Temple University’s Steven Berney, MD. “If we can improve their sleep, patients will get better.” Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia doctors say that often, it’s not that their patients aren’t sleeping — but rather, their quality of sleep is impaired. Somehow they’re not reaching that much-needed REM-cycle sleep and their circadian rhythms are slightly off. Yet patients with health questions need to be prepared to hear the honest answers. “A good deal is self-treatment,” says Martin Grabois MD of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Patients have to be active, not passive.”

Patients who have any sort of syndromes, diseases and conditions find that stress exacerbates their maladies. Therefore, stress reduction is essential for anyone suffering from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. Gentle exercises like yoga, Pilates and meditation can help patients unwind and sleep better. Relaxation exercises and meditation can also help individuals normalize their heart rates and lower blood pressure, which contributes to an overall feeling of wellbeing. Stretching several times a day and taking nice warm baths are pleasant ways to provide gentle comfort to an aching body.

You have to find the chronic fatigue syndrome treatments that work best for your life if you are suffering from this debilitating condition. Visit Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Help to find out more about this syndrome and how you can find relief.