Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be difficult to diagnose as it’s symptoms are similar to many other illnesses including mononucleosis, lyme disease, lupus and fybromyalgia. Additionally, diagnostic complications arise from the fact that there is no diagnostic laboratory test or biomarker for CFS and symptom sets vary severely from patient to patient.
Therefore, CFS is diagnosed by exclusion–and such a thorough evaluation can and should only be done by a doctor.
Patients who think they suffer from CFS must be careful not to self-diagnose as CFS has no cure, unlike other illnesses it can resemble which are treatable. CFS affects more than 4 million American but less than 20% have been diagnosed. Therefore, if you suffer from unusual fatigue for more than a month and cannot alleviate it with rest, and suffer from muscle and joint pain, headaches, have trouble concentrating or experience sickness after mental or physical exertion, consult your doctor for an immediate evaluation.
Tags: CFS, diagnosis, fatigue, fybromyalgia