Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are both considered medical anomalies in the sense that each causes debilitating symptoms for reasons unknown. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, estimates that up to 4 million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, in a given year and nearly 5 million adults suffer from fibromyalgia. In both conditions, women are more likely than men to develop symptoms, with middle age being the most prominent time-frame for diagnosis.
Pain
Intense, radiating pain occurs in both conditions. MayoClinic.com notes that CFS pain symptoms include tingling sensations of the extremities and moving joint pain without the presence of inflammation. Painful and enlarged lymph nodes of the neck are often present in CFS as well as jaw pain, chest and abdominal pain.
Fibromyalgia pain symptoms are described by MayoClinic.com as a widespread and constant ache of the muscles that includes tender points of the body. Tenderness from the head to the knees and on either side of the body signifies fibromyalgia. Pain threshold and sensitivity is low in both conditions. Both the National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Association, or NCFSFA, note that pain lasting more than three months without known cause typically indicates the presence of one of these conditions.
Fatigue and Sleep Disruption
The long-standing presence of fatigue is a primary symptom of both conditions. Feeling tired, however, does not necessarily permit peaceful sleep. MayoClinic.com says that unrefreshing sleep is common in CFS, while in fibromyalgia, sleep is often restless and marked by apnea, periodic lapses in breathing. Exhaustion, weakness and an overwhelming weariness accompanies symptoms of both disorders.
Mood, Memory and Injury
Symptoms of a psychological nature often accompany these disorders. Depression, anxiety and overall irritability are often present, partly due to fatigue and pain and partly as a precipitant. The NCFSFA explains that people with CFS characteristically show impairment in short-term memory and concentration; however, cause for this is unknown. Increased vulnerability to injury and illness is also prominent in both conditions, according to the CDC. This may include injury sustained through falls from poor balance and coordination, viral infections and allergy sensitivities.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Fibromyalgia
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence of Fibromyalgia
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Association: What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
