The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome has not yet been determined. Research has been looking into it for a longtime. Some think that an infection can cause it, but there is no definite medical proof. The two main groups of people at risk for having chronic fatigue syndrome is those between 15 and 20 years old, and between 33 and 45. Two thirds of the sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome are women. Those are typical years for CFS but it can occur within any group and in any society. Some people have CFS and are not diagnosed.
This illness causes disabling tiredness that is severe and happens after any physical or mental activity. Sometimes rest will ease feeling tiredness, but even if they get a full night of sound sleep, they may still feel tired and exhausted. A teenager who suffers from CFS will have muscle aches, pains, and difficulties with memory and concentration. Some will have pains in their stomach as well.
Chronic fatigue syndrome can last anywhere from three to five years, but some experience a much longer lasting illness.
Teenagers with chronic fatigue syndrome can have the feeling of tiredness after even low levels of physical or mental activity. They may also experience sore throat, tender lymph glands, headaches, and just a general feeling of being unwell. They may become dizzy when they stand and experience some sensitivity to some foods that never bothered them before. They may also become more sensitive to smells, bright lights, alcohol, and cigarette smoke.
There isn’t one specific sign that will a doctor the teenager they are examining are suffering from CFS. Many have been misdiagnosed or thought to have other problems such as thyroid problems, eating disorders, drug or alcohol use, cancer, depression and kidney disease. These other ailments will need to be ruled out before a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome is handed down. Blood tests, and other concentration tests should also be done. MRI’s are rarely needed for the diagnosis. These are expensive and probably won’t tell the doctor anything new.
What is the difference between depression and CFS? Teens who have CFS still want to take part in activities with their friends and still can enjoy them. Depressed teens don’t get pleasure from activities they use to enjoy and stay away from people. They have to push themselves to do things. Teens suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome want to do their normal activities but are usually exhausted afterwards.
It’s difficult for teens with CFS to attend school and many schools are trying to be as helpful as possible with these teens as well as other teens with disabilities. They may have fewer classes each day, work more at home, or are given extra time to get their assignments in. Some also are tutored to help them keep up with their classmates.
Counseling and support groups can help teenagers who are going through this difficult period of their life. A counselor can provide both information and support not only for the teen but also for the entire family.
Here are some ideas that you and your teenager can do to ease symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Try to get them involved in some activity every day. Spending time in bed will not help!
Keeping a regular sleep routine can also help. Avoid staying up excessively late and sleeping in the next morning.
Keeping a normal daytime routine is also important. It’s important teenagers paces themselves and avoids extra physical or emotional stress.
Help them keep in contact with their friends. It’s important for them to feel involved and not become loners and withdraw from the world around them.
Teens with CFS should avoid being around smokers and second hand smoke.
As a parent you can make sure, your teenager is getting a nourishing and balanced diet.
Some of your family and friends will not understand a sufferer of chronic fatigue syndrome. It would be helpful to find some literature so they can learn about the disease and help them to give the support the sufferer needs. They won’t look sick, so sometimes it’s hard for others to know how bad they feel.
July 28, 2007
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
July 27, 2007
Adult Sleep Disorders
Adults as well as children often have sleep problems. Some that adults might suffer from are insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome.
Let’s define sleep. Sleep is more than taking a break from a busy schedule or resting. Sleep is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Sleep also helps the body recover quicker from injury and illness. Someone not getting enough sleep report having trouble performing tasks that involve memory, learning, logical reasoning, and math calculations. Even just a few nights of not getting your needed sleep can cause stress in your life and make you less productive. Severe insomnia results in psychiatric problems in some people.
Loss of sleep can be dangerous, strain relationships, and cause you to lose your concentration on your job. Three facts from the National Transportation Safety Board about sleep:
An estimated $15.0 billion dollars is what it costs businesses for sleepiness and lost productivity.
At least 100,000 police-reported accidents in the United States are because of drowsy drivers.
The sad one is, 40 million Americans suffer sleep disorders, and most of them go undiagnosed.
How much does your body need? That will be different for everyone. Most adults need an average of 7-8 hours each night if they are healthy. If you have trouble staying alert during monotonous activities or have a tendency to be unreasonable and irritable with family, friends, or co-workers, you need more sleep. If you have trouble concentrating or remembering facts, it’s another signal you body needs more sleep.
There are at least 84 sleep disorders that interfere with our quality of life and personal health. Some of these problems range from irregular sleep patterns, sleepwalking, nightmares, and insomnia. Other problems are restless legs syndrome, snoring, and sleep apnea.
There is help for those suffering from sleep disorders. Sleep problems can be caused by different disorders in various body systems. These disorders can be treated by different medical specialties such as neurology for narcolepsy and pulmonary medicine for those suffering from sleep apnea. A doctor can help you decide if you have a sleep disorder and the treatment you need for it.
Insomnia is one of the most common sleep problems for adults. Insomnia is defined as having difficulty falling asleep, waking up often through the night, waking up too early in the morning, and not feeling refreshed when you wake up in the morning. Insomnia can occur from one night to a few weeks, episodes that happen sporadically and severe insomnia lasting a month or more.
What are the causes of insomnia? Several causes of insomnia including anxiety, depression, pain, illness, irregular schedules, and drugs (including nicotine and alcohol products.)
There are ways to help sleep problems. One of those is to keep regular hours, go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time in the morning. Go to bed only if you feel sleepy and do relaxing things before you go to bed. You can read for 10 minutes, take a warm bath, or have a light snack.
Exercising regularly will also help but only if you don’t exercise at least six hours before your bedtime. Exercising stimulates the body and the brain. Maintaining a regular schedule for all of your regular activities will keep your “inner clock” running on time.
Don’t have anything to eat or drink with caffeine within 5-6 hours before bedtime. Try not to smoke close to bedtime, and if you do take naps during the day, try to take them at the same time every day, preferably in the mid-afternoon.
Insomnia and other sleep disorders can be treated. If you suffer from insomnia more than just a few days, make an appointment with your doctor to find the underlying cause.
Restless Legs Syndrome or RLS can also be something that will disrupt your sleep. Usually it’s described as a creepy, crawling, and tingling feeling usually in the calf area. It can occur anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. When they feel those feelings in their legs, they have an urge to move whichever leg is being affected. Sleep problems often go with RLS because it makes it difficult to fall asleep when you are experiencing those feelings.
No one knows for sure what causes Restless Legs Syndrome. Diabetes, kidney problems, and alcohol abuse are believed to irritate RLS. It also could be hereditary or be a result of a nerve being pinched in the lower back.
Consult your doctor if you are having sleeping difficulties. They will be able to find out what sleep disorder you have, and suggestions on how to deal with it.
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