The path to a diagnosis ofchronic fatigue syndrome(CFS) can be frustrating.
The condition is characterized by its symptoms and there is no single test that can confirm it.
The condition is also calledmyalgic encephalomyelitis(ME/CFS) or systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID).
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This information will greatly help your healthcare provider with the diagnostic process.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
In 2015, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) defined the chief symptoms that indicate the condition.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Your healthcare provider will complete a full physical examination as part of their evaluation as well.
You are likely to have more extensive tests if your physical examination or symptoms point to other conditions.
You might be referred to a neurologist, rheumatologist, or sleep specialist for assessment.
The list is potentially exhaustive, and the process can be lengthy and sometimes tedious.
Instead, they are used to rule out other causes of symptoms.
Start with your regular healthcare provider, as they can rule out other causes of your symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.IOM 2015 diagnostic criteria.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Evaluation of ME/CFS.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What causes ME/CFS causes.
Gluckman, S.Chronic fatigue syndrome.
2015.Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness.
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
