Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Affects 3.3 Million Adults In US, CDC Says; Know Symptoms, Treatment Options

Chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition marked by severe fatigue, affects 3.3 million adults in the U.S., a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is a serious, long-term multisystem illness that limits a person’s activity due to fatigue. The symptoms of the condition often worsen with physical or mental activity.

According to the first nationally representative survey conducted by CDC to estimate the number of patients with CFS, 1.3% of the population had it between 2021 and 2022. The condition “is not a rare illness,” said CDC’s Dr. Elizabeth Unger, who was also a co-author of the survey report.

The estimates are higher than previous studies, probably due to the spike in cases associated with long COVID, Associated Press reported.

The survey brought out some interesting findings. The percentage of adults with the illness increased in the age group of 60–69 and then declined among those aged 70 and older. The percentage of adults having CFS varied by race. White non-Hispanic adults (1.5%) were more likely to have the condition in comparison to Asian non-Hispanic (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%) adults. The percentage of adults with CFS decreased with an increase in family income.

Know the symptoms of CFS

Many signs of CFS may look similar to those of other illnesses, and there is no definite test to diagnose the condition. For some, the severity of symptoms may fluctuate over time.

Primary symptoms

• A drop in activity level, along with fatigue, that lasts six months or longer – Fatigue in this case is not just a passing feeling of tiredness that could be relieved by rest or sleep but severe and persistent. The person has a lowered level of activity compared to the activity levels before the illness.
• Post-exertional malaise – The worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity that was not present before the illness.
• Sleep issues – Difficulty falling…