Chronic fatigue


 * This article is about the symptom of Chronic Fatigue, a misnomer often used by the media. For the symptom of chronic fatigue, please see chronic fatigue (symptom).

Chronic fatigue (CF) is a symptom of many diseases, illnesses and medications. It means the patient experiences significant and long-term fatigue. It should be distinguished from the disease called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), of which chronic fatigue is only one of many symptoms. The two terms are not interchangeable. Wikipedia contains separate pages for each.

Chronic fatigue vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
About.com Health FMS/ME/CFS has two blogs discussing the difference. "Chronic Fatigue vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - One's a Symptom, One's a Disease" By Adrienne Dellwo and "Chronic Fatigue Versus Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - What's the Difference? By: Carol Eustice

Dr. Jarred Younger explains Chronic fatigue and begins by stating "Fatigue is not a disease and it is not even a symptom. So fatigue is a alarm system and the most general alarm system the body has." Webinar with Jarred Younger, Ph.D. (@6:04-7:54)

Examples of incorrect usage
In these examples the disease Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is erroneously referred to using the name of only one of the many symptoms involved, chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue is a symptom, not a disease.
 * How the hell of chronic fatigue drives sufferers to suicide: Those battling condition are SIX times more likely to take their own lives (Daily Mail, February 2016)
 * Chronic fatigue IS 'a real and serious disease': Doctors draw up new guidelines on how to diagnose the condition (Daily Mail, February 2015)

Learn more

 * Wikipedia - Fatigue (chronic fatigue)
 * Wikipedia - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Research and clinical criteria used incorrectly diagnoses chronic fatigue

 * Fukuda criteria
 * Oxford criteria