Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms test. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome: take the test

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a psycho-emotional disease. It most often occurs due to prolonged physical and mental stress. Middle-aged people living in the city are more susceptible to the disease.

The main symptom of the disease is a stable feeling of powerlessness: it is difficult for a person to cope with daily tasks at home and at work. It seems that such a state drags on like a swamp. However, it can and should be treated.

Causes of fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical phenomenon that has not yet been fully studied. Opinions about the reasons were divided into two groups:

1. The disease is a consequence of hidden chronic processes in the body or provoked by experienced nervous disorders.

2. Constant exhaustion occurs due to poor lifestyle and excessive stress. That is, developing “visible” symptoms, such as decreased immunity or mental instability, are considered to be the result of regular overwork.

If we summarize all the possible reasons, they can be presented as follows:

Factors of influence	Explanation
Unhealthy Lifestyle	Failure to comply with occupational hygiene, lack of oxygen and solar energy that a person receives while walking, consumption of nicotine, alcohol and energy drinks, lack of physical activity - all this systematically leads to the depletion of the body's resources.
Infectious diseases	According to one of the medical theories, vital energy decreases due to the internal fight against viruses. For example, infections such as herpes, retro- or enteroviruses can cause general fatigue syndrome, even when they do not manifest themselves outwardly.
Unfavorable environment	After conducting opinion polls, tests and studies in different populated areas, scientists revealed the following fact: in polluted, dusty and crowded cities, the syndrome occurs more often than in residents of rural areas
Unbalanced diet	If a person eats a lot of fatty foods, often drinks coffee and forgets about vitamins, the body does not receive normal fuel for proper functioning. Naturally, in such a situation, it will give noticeable failures
Chronic diseases	When a person is sick, for example, with tachycardia, it is difficult for him to exercise. If, with such an illness, you force the body to work on an equal basis with healthy people, overwork cannot be avoided
Psychological disorders	Depression, stress, anxiety and phobias have a detrimental effect on the nervous system, deprive you of sleep and, as a result, cause emptiness, mental and physical.

Symptoms and diagnosis

To identify the disease and isolate it from other similar diseases, medical scientists have developed a classification of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome:

1. Main features. There are two of them: permanent fatigue, not eliminated even by prolonged sleep, which has been observed for more than six months, and the exclusion of obvious ailments in the body.

2. Secondary. These are physical symptoms:

feeling of chills;
migraine;
dry throat and mucous membranes of the eyes;
muscle and spinal pain;
shortness of breath;
low-grade fever;
enlarged lymph nodes.

3. Neuropsychological signs. These include various phobias (especially fear of bright light), irritability, poor concentration, feelings of depression and hopelessness.

If more than eight signs are present (both major ones, about six from the list of minor ones, plus at least one of the third group), the diagnosis is chronic fatigue syndrome.

What to do for treatment

First, you can visit a doctor to understand the possible root causes of the syndrome. What kind of specialist is needed for this? It all depends on the goal:

they go to a therapist and immunologist to identify the presence of chronic diseases, infections and viruses in the body;
see a psychologist - to test yourself for the presence of psychologically traumatic factors and get a referral for individual or group therapy;
other specialists (endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc.) are contacted to treat symptomatic manifestations of the disease (enlarged lymph nodes, tachycardia, etc.).

If necessary, doctors will prescribe treatment with medications or physical procedures:

soothing relaxing massages;
therapeutic exercises;
water procedures;
acupuncture (a method of influencing the body with acupressure).

Unfortunately, chronic fatigue syndrome, in its early stages, is very difficult to identify. You'll have to help yourself. If you notice signs from all three groups listed in the “symptoms and diagnosis” section, you need to begin self-organization measures:

1. Establish normal nutrition:

don’t forget about a hot lunch;
reduce consumption of fatty foods;
drink a lot of clean water;
enrich the diet with vitamins.

2. Organize your daily routine:

try to do all important things before lunch;
avoid doing several things at once;
take time for walking;
take five minutes at work to warm up and just relax.

3. Get a good night's sleep:

go to bed early;
ventilate the room;
sleep in comfortable clothes.

The last point is the most important. A good rest is the first thing you need to organize for yourself if you have symptoms of an illness. On weekends, turn off your phone and sleep as much as your body needs.

Drug treatment

To alleviate the condition, homeopathic remedies are often prescribed. The most popular of them are shown in the table:

Medication	Indications
Quininum arsenicosum	The drug is prescribed to adults who clearly have the following symptoms: chronic fatigue; heaviness in the body; “fog” in the head; dizziness; photosensitivity of the eyes; insomnia; attacks of “lack of air”; low-grade fever.
Gelsemium	The medicine is most often prescribed to older people with signs of chronic fatigue: general weakness; fear of crowds; severe stress; sense of anxiety; depression from loneliness; nausea; shortness of breath; palpitations after slight physical effort; slight trembling of hands.
Acidum phosphoricum	The drug is designed for teenage audiences experiencing puberty, as well as increased physical or mental stress (competitions, exams, etc.), which provoke the following phenomena: mental instability; decreased concentration; memory impairment; loss of vision; discomfort in muscles and joints; headache.

In addition to taking homeopathic and anti-inflammatory drugs, doctors recommend treating chronic fatigue syndrome with other groups of medications:

complexes of vitamins and minerals;
drugs that modulate immunity;
antiviral drugs;
antidepressants.

Psychotropic drugs (strictly prescribed by a doctor) help treat disorders of the autonomic nervous system.

A simple self-diagnosis test

Many of us do not have the fortitude or time to visit doctors. You can find out whether you really have chronic fatigue syndrome and how serious the problem is with a small test.

Answer the questions provided in each block by answering “Yes” or “No”:

1. The appearance of frequent pain:

in the chest;
in the lymph nodes;
in the throat;
in the spine;
in muscles or joints;
headache.

2. Regular gastrointestinal problems:

no appetite;
nausea;
diarrhea;
weight has changed.

3. Increasingly frequent attacks:

rapid heartbeat;
arrhythmias;
holding your breath;
dizziness;
presyncope;
paleness of facial skin;
darkening in the eyes.

4. I really want:

sleep;
lie down on the bed;
fall asleep right at your desk;
wake up without feeling “broken”;
stop having nightmares.

5. There is noticeable discomfort when changing:

time zone;
daily routine;
established order;
habits.

6. Progression of difficulties:

when remembering new information;
concentration;
decision making;
manifestations of a timely reaction to someone else’s action or question.

7. Loss of interest:

To friends;
to sex;
favorite activity;
communicating with people.

8. The appearance of obsessive states:

fear;
anxiety;
loneliness;
resentment towards loved ones;
emptiness;
hopelessness of the situation;

9. Frequent painful condition:

constant colds;
chronic tonsillitis;
exacerbation of a chronic disease;
muscle cramps;
the appearance of allergies;
permanent runny nose;
pain in the eyes;
feeling of persistent thirst.
low-grade fever for no apparent reason.

10. Emotional instability manifested as follows:

in outbursts of unreasonable anger;
irritability over small things;
in reactive mood changes;
in frequent apathy;
in acute anguish.

11. We began to “calm down” ourselves with new methods:

learned to smoke or increase the number of cigarettes;
I developed a craving for drinking alcohol in the evenings.

12. Terribly annoying:

sharp sound;
bright light;
strange smell.

13. No strength for simple housework.

In total, 60 questions were asked in 13 blocks. If you only answered “Yes” to 20 or fewer questions, you are simply exhausted. A good rest will fully restore your strength.

If the positive answers were in the range of 20-40, chronic fatigue syndrome is already present, but you can try to fight it yourself.

But if the result is more than 40 “Yes”, you should consult a doctor.

How to help yourself

Many psychologists believe that a person's greatest battles are with himself and with his weaknesses. Many sages are confident: the most significant victory is the one where you were able to give up the fight, realizing the vanity of the goal (the idea that life is good not because of achievements, but something more, is perfectly revealed in the film “Peaceful Warrior”).

Write a rough list of things that, in your opinion, are not very important, but take up a lot of time. Having managed to refuse any of them, put a bold tick on yourself and say “Well done!” You truly deserve self-respect.

Before you start fighting the disease called “chronic fatigue syndrome,” give yourself plenty of rest and gain strength. In any case, something will have to be sacrificed. For example, cleaning the kitchen to a perfect shine or participating in a corporate “beer meeting” to mark the end of Friday.

Review the possible reasons that led to your deplorable physical condition and write another list of not the best habits that you are quite capable of getting rid of.

The main thing is not to rush to change your lifestyle too zealously:

if you are used to fatty foods, do not exclude them from the menu all at once, gradually replace them with energy products (porridge, nuts, dried fruits);
if you have never drank 2 liters of clean water daily, an excessively sharp increase in fluid can cause swelling;
If you decide to improve your physical tone, do not plan to do 40 push-ups today.

Chronic fatigue syndrome took months to develop. Don't think that you can remove its effects in a week. Do not forget that the main task is to give the body a rest, and not to starve it even more. Be patient. Take small steps towards your goal. And be sure, just be sure to praise yourself.

Experts do not yet have a complete consensus on the nature of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It seems that this is some kind of general specific “imbalance” of the body that occurs as a result of prolonged nervous overload, leading to a decrease in immunity and disruption of the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system.

The test results are indicative only. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis.

Fatigue test

Usually those who already feel that they have almost lost their strength want to take a fatigue test. Perhaps there is no clear understanding of the cause of overwork, but you need to learn in detail about its root and what to do about it. It is important to understand why the body is so overtired, and in order to do this, it is useful to undergo a special psychological test for fatigue.

It's possible that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) stems from another, more serious underlying condition. Maybe overwork came as a result of incorrect thinking, or there have been a lot of stressful situations in life lately. It may also turn out that the cause of moral fatigue lies in constant physical stress or, conversely, its absence.

Why fatigue came: a test to determine the cause

The upcoming test will help you find out your internal patterns and understand what is going wrong in your life. You need to read the questions indicated, and then honestly choose the most appropriate answer that reflects the current state.

When is fatigue most pronounced?

The statement that most accurately describes the patterns between wakefulness and sleep.

A. In the morning you feel tired, and by lunchtime you want to lie down.
B. It is difficult to fall asleep, but awakening occurs early in the morning.
C. Lots of things to do, no time to get enough sleep.
D. Sleep well, the morning is cheerful, I have enough energy.

Which statement is most accurate regarding nutrition?

A. You have to eat irregularly throughout the day.
B. Breakfast is skipped, but lunch and dinner are included.
C. Adequate meals - three times a day, with lunch and dinner being hearty.
D. Meals are regular, several times a day.

What food is most preferable?

A. Favorites include fatty, salty and sweet foods.
B. Porridge and pasta are common in the diet.
C. More inclined to satisfying dishes.
D. The food is improved, there is more plant food, and the portions are moderate.

What is your exposure to stress?

A. Constant tension, worries and anxiety.
B. There are worries about obligations and ordinary everyday problems.
C. Always calm, with the exception of unpleasant situations that cause anxiety.
D. There is self-control, but it happens that a stressful situation periodically absorbs completely.

How well do you manage your emotions independently?

A. I usually manage emotions.
B. Sometimes you can control them perfectly, but sometimes they take over.
C. Feeling depressed often comes.
D. Every day, regardless of the emotional background, time is allocated for relaxation.

How often do you have physical activity in your life?

A. Extremely rare.
B. Lifestyle is sedentary, but a walk is performed every day.
D. Regular moderate physical activity, which only gives more energy and strength.

What do you usually do with your free time?

A. There is practically none.
B. Free time is spent relaxing and calming down.
C. It’s practically impossible to relax; my head is full of unnecessary thoughts, even during free time.
D. Free hours are spent on hobbies, family and friends.

The most preferred drink that is consumed most often?

A. This is usually coffee, or, in extreme cases, strong tea.
B. Carbonated drinks.
C. There is no particular difference in what to drink, but in general, it is preferable to drink with friends.
D. Pure water or juices.

How would you like to continue living, or in what direction should you change it?

A. Live without frequent stress.
B. Stop worrying about lack of strength.
C. I would like to manage my life better.
D. Become the leader and soul of the company.

Answers to the test

More answers A. A state of really severe overexertion, urgent unloading and rest are required.
Answers B or C predominate. Most people have these answers. By lunchtime the energy is running low. It is advisable to have a good rest in the evening, otherwise fatigue will accumulate.
More answers D. Level of fatigue is normal. Slight fatigue at the end of the day is normal, but weekends should be devoted to rest.

Feelings of nausea, general weakness, often occurring.

Feeling weak in the morning and having difficulty getting up.

Dry and acute, wet and chronic, mild and...

The patient's complaints that he felt “hard.

Why doesn't weakness go away after a cold?

The information on the site is provided solely for popular informational purposes, does not claim to be reference or medical accuracy, and is not a guide to action. Do not self-medicate. Consult your healthcare provider.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Not everyone knows that chronic fatigue can develop not only and not so much as a result of overwork, but also be the result of long-term stress on a person. There is another reason - infectious, but here we will not talk about such fatigue?

So, what does chronic fatigue manifest itself in? It differs from ordinary fatigue quite significantly. Because this is not only physical, but also emotional, nervous and intellectual depletion of the body’s reserves.

Usually a person continues to live and work in the same, familiar rhythm, still performing daily duties, and at the same time begins to feel that he is already on the edge. You can determine whether you have already fallen into the tightening grip of this disease if you have been feeling frequent or constant discomfort for six months and at the same time do not seem to be sick with anything (at least, during examinations you do not have any symptoms). or pathology). Well, you can find out even more accurately using this test.

Try to be extremely honest and sincere in answering “YES” or “NO” to all questions.

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The information posted on the site cannot be considered as recommendations to patients on the diagnosis and treatment of any diseases, nor is it a substitute for consultation with a doctor!

Chronic fatigue syndrome: take the test

Do you feel exhausted and do not get enough sleep even after 10 hours of sleep? You may have chronic fatigue syndrome. Take our test and find out if you should see a doctor.

1. Have you been constantly tired during the past four weeks?

2. Do you feel tired even after a week of rest and good sleep?

3. Do you feel especially groggy in the morning?

4. Have you recently begun to refuse to meet with friends because you are tired?

5. After a working day, do you feel even worse than in the morning?

6. Do you often get sick with viral diseases?

7. Do you often have headaches and joints?

If you answered yes to 3 or more questions, you should seek help from your GP immediately. He will help you adjust your daily routine and may prescribe vitamins to make up for the lack of nutrients your body needs.

There are no comments, but you can leave the first comment :)

Test: chronic fatigue syndrome

Try to be extremely honest and sincere in answering “yes” or “no” to all the questions in this short test. So:

1. When you wake up in the morning, do you need to “sway” longer than usual, making an effort to get involved in your usual (including work) life?

2. In the midst of work, do you begin to feel a drop in productivity, the need to strain, make additional efforts to complete it well?

3. Do you need some kind of “doping” (coffee, strong tea...) to at least feel in good shape during working hours?

4. Have you begun to react poorly to weather changes that cause pain in your back, joints, headaches, and weakness?

5. Does your appetite go up and down?

6. Have you started to experience unpleasant, sometimes painful sensations in the heart area?

7. Are your hands and feet starting to feel cold?

8. Have you started to worry about some dysfunctions, some disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract?

9. Have you become increasingly irritable, hot-tempered, or have you had episodes of causeless depression in your mood?

10. Have you started to experience allergic reactions or become more frequent?

11. Does your sex drive decrease?

12. Has your sleep become intermittent, restless, superficial, or have you had trouble falling asleep?

If most of your answers to the questions posed in the test turned out to be positive, then it’s time for you to think about the state of your health! And, of course, begin to take the necessary measures in order not to be overcome by chronic fatigue.

Find opportunities to fully rest and relax

First of all, you should not allow the occurrence and development of chronic fatigue. But not every person succeeds in avoiding stress and establishing a rational, healthy lifestyle.

And therefore, first of all, you should not gather your strength, not mobilize the remaining energy (as, alas, not very experienced specialists quite often recommend doing this), but, on the contrary, give yourself the opportunity to rest and relax.

To do this, you should sleep at least 8 or even 9 hours. And if possible, add sleep during the daytime.

The so-called can help relieve muscle tension. relaxation exercises based on releasing tension from muscles and maximizing their relaxation.

Positive emotions also help to relax. And their occurrence is facilitated by various kinds of hobbies (including the sauna, which is fashionable these days, but you shouldn’t be in it to the point of weakness and dizziness), music, and simply rational relaxation. The pleasure hormones produced during this process - endorphins - relieve irritability, unmotivated excitability, and pain, and, of course, improve mood.

Do exercises

While working, it is best to do a light warm-up every two hours. Then you can sit, relax and slightly wiggle your fingers and toes in your work chair.

If your job (and your boss) allows, you can warm up with the following simple exercises:

1) Jump (feet together - arms apart) for 1 minute. Do 20 squats, 25 push-ups, or run in one place for a couple of minutes. This is most often enough to speed up blood circulation and increase the flow of oxygen.

2) You can use self-massage to “recharge your internal battery.”

Change clothes after work

When you return home after a hard day at work, you should definitely immediately change your clothes (especially your underwear!). The fact is that after a difficult day filled with stress, biologically active substances produced by the body in response to stressful influences remain on it. Being absorbed into the skin, they can increase your discomfort, if not even pain.

Do self-massage

Don't forget about the healing effects of water! By washing your hands under running water for at least a short time, you will thus cleanse yourself and free yourself from the painful, “evil” energy that accumulates throughout the day. At the same time, we should not forget that in the hot summer season the water should be cold, but in winter, on the contrary, warm.

In addition, by rubbing your hands under running water, you will influence certain biologically active points, performing a kind of tonic self-massage.

Well, since after a hard working day, especially one filled with stress, most people still have a feeling of facial tension, you can stretch it by barely touching your cheeks and forehead with your fingertips.

Drink vitamin drinks and moderate the influence of bad habits

And it’s also a good idea to drink vitamin drinks - a decoction of rose hips, an infusion of stinging nettle (3-4 tablespoons of it should be infused for 1-2 hours in 1 liter of boiling water and drunk 2/3 cup 3-5 times a day after meals) or an infusion dried rowan fruits (brew a glass of boiling water, let it brew for 1 hour) - take 0.5 cups 2-3 times a day.

Try to limit the time you work with the computer, spend less time watching TV shows. Avoid strong alcoholic drinks. Try to quit smoking. And don’t forget about the need for a balanced diet. It is advisable to drink fresh carrot juice with cream for breakfast; focus your diet on plant foods (especially nuts, herbs, vegetables, fruits) with a reduction in the amount of meat and animal fats.

Further information: Causes of chronic fatigue

Not everyone knows that chronic fatigue can develop not only and not so much as a result of overwork, but also be the result of prolonged stress on a person. There is another reason, but here we will not talk about the so-called. chronic fatigue syndrome, which has not yet been fully studied by modern medicine, the cause of which is a certain infectious factor.

So, what does this chronic fatigue manifest itself in? And it differs quite radically from ordinary fatigue. Because this is not only physical, but also emotional, nervous, and intellectual depletion of the body’s reserves.

Usually a person continues to live and work in the same, familiar rhythm, still performing ordinary duties, and at the same time begins to feel that he is already on the edge. Remember that you can determine whether you have already fallen into the tightening grip of this disease if you feel frequent or constant malaise for six months, and at the same time you do not seem to be sick with anything (at least during examinations of you no pathology is detected). Well, you can do it even more accurately using this test.

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5-Minute Chronic Fatigue Test

The test for chronic fatigue, or rather, the degree of fatigue, is just one illusion picture. All you have to do is look at the picture carefully for a few minutes.

People often do not notice fatigue and overwork to the detriment of their health. It also happens the other way around - sometimes you feel very tired just because the work is quite boring or monotonous. But in fact, the body is objectively quite capable of continuing to work.

This is a simple and quick test to quickly determine your level of fatigue. If you are busy with a very important urgent matter, and you need to decide what is better - get enough sleep and finish urgent work in the morning or sit for another hour without harm to your health and go to bed with a feeling of accomplishment. To understand how tired you are, just take this five-minute psychological fatigue level test... Look...Tell me what you see?

Chronic fatigue test -

Illusions are actually motionless - you are calm, balanced, you do not urgently need to quit work and go on vacation.

If illusions are actively moving, you need rest.

If illusions move very quickly, you need to rest urgently, otherwise there may be negative consequences for your health.

Author of the article: Guardian

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Test for chronic fatigue online (Asthenia)

Test for asthenic condition online

ASTHENIA TEST

One of the scourges of our depressive times is asthenic syndrome, the essence of which is increasing mental and physical weakness, depression, nervous exhaustion, which is so facilitated by our crazy lifestyle.

The asthenic state scale was created on the basis of the well-known American MMPI questionnaire and data from clinical and psychological observations of a number of researchers (L.D. Malkova, T.G. Chertova).

When answering test questions, carefully read each sentence and evaluate it in relation to your condition. Then choose one of the 4 answer options on the right. After clicking on the “Reply” button, the program will calculate the number of points you have scored and assess the severity of your asthenia.

Before you start writing material that will be useful to you in mastering computer knowledge, determine the degree of your fatigue. Define.
As a result of long and hard work, a person experiences fatigue, which occurs as a result of hard and long work. Efficiency decreases, a person gets tired quickly, and doesn’t want to do anything. If this condition continues for a long time, fatigue occurs. This is dangerous for your health.

If you do not pay attention to this, CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) may occur:
- Are you tired;
- you have insomnia;
- you get irritated over trifles;
- you can’t even remember your own husband’s name;
- depression occurs;
- unreasonable apathy or anger, which can manifest itself as aggression.

If there are at least one or two signs, then you have become a victim of the currently widespread disease CFS. In the 80s this disease did not exist. It is associated with an increase in psychological stress and an acceleration of the rhythm of life. Predisposing factors may be viral infections, various chronic diseases, poor ecology and sanitary conditions. This is what can happen if a person does not pay attention to his health.

I offer you, which was developed at the University of Japan (Ritsumeikan) in Tokyo, by Professor Akioshi Kitaoka.
This is a picture that you need to look at for 30-60 seconds.

E If you do not see movement in this picture, that is, it remains motionless, then you are not overworked and you are completely calm - this is very good.

The test results are indicative only. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a psycho-emotional disease. It most often occurs due to prolonged physical and mental stress. Middle-aged people living in the city are more susceptible to the disease.

Causes of fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a medical phenomenon that has not yet been fully studied. Opinions about the reasons were divided into two groups:

1. The disease is a consequence of hidden chronic processes in the body or provoked by experienced nervous disorders.

If we summarize all the possible reasons, they can be presented as follows:

Symptoms and diagnosis

To identify the disease and isolate it from other similar diseases, medical scientists have developed a classification of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome:

2. Secondary. These are physical symptoms:

feeling of chills;
migraine;
dry throat and mucous membranes of the eyes;
muscle and spinal pain;
shortness of breath;
low-grade fever;
enlarged lymph nodes.

3. Neuropsychological signs. These include various phobias (especially fear of bright light), irritability, poor concentration, feelings of depression and hopelessness.

If more than eight signs are present (both major ones, about six from the list of minor ones, plus at least one of the third group), the diagnosis is chronic fatigue syndrome.

What to do for treatment

First, you can visit a doctor to understand the possible root causes of the syndrome. What kind of specialist is needed for this? It all depends on the goal:

they go to a therapist and immunologist to identify the presence of chronic diseases, infections and viruses in the body;
see a psychologist - to test yourself for the presence of psychologically traumatic factors and get a referral for individual or group therapy;
other specialists (endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc.) are contacted to treat symptomatic manifestations of the disease (enlarged lymph nodes, tachycardia, etc.).

If necessary, doctors will prescribe treatment with medications or physical procedures:

soothing relaxing massages;
therapeutic exercises;
water procedures;
acupuncture (a method of influencing the body with acupressure).

1. Establish normal nutrition:

don’t forget about a hot lunch;
reduce consumption of fatty foods;
drink a lot of clean water;
enrich the diet with vitamins.

2. Organize your daily routine:

try to do all important things before lunch;
avoid doing several things at once;
take time for walking;
take five minutes at work to warm up and just relax.

3. Get a good night's sleep:

go to bed early;
ventilate the room;
sleep in comfortable clothes.

Drug treatment

To alleviate the condition, homeopathic remedies are often prescribed. The most popular of them are shown in the table:

Attacks of “lack of air”;

Palpitations after slight physical exertion;

Minor shaking of hands.

Decreased concentration;

Loss of vision;

Discomfort in muscles and joints;

In addition to taking homeopathic and anti-inflammatory drugs, doctors recommend treating chronic fatigue syndrome with other groups of medications:

complexes of vitamins and minerals;
drugs that modulate immunity;
antiviral drugs;
antidepressants.

Psychotropic drugs (strictly prescribed by a doctor) help treat disorders of the autonomic nervous system.

A simple self-diagnosis test

Many of us do not have the fortitude or time to visit doctors. You can find out whether you really have chronic fatigue syndrome and how serious the problem is with a small test.

Answer the questions provided in each block by answering “Yes” or “No”:

1. The appearance of frequent pain:

2. Regular gastrointestinal problems:

3. Increasingly frequent attacks:

rapid heartbeat;
arrhythmias;
holding your breath;
dizziness;
presyncope;
paleness of facial skin;
darkening in the eyes.

4. I really want:

sleep;
lie down on the bed;
fall asleep right at your desk;
wake up without feeling “broken”;
stop having nightmares.

5. There is noticeable discomfort when changing:

6. Progression of difficulties:

when remembering new information;
concentration;
decision making;
manifestations of a timely reaction to someone else’s action or question.

7. Loss of interest:

8. The appearance of obsessive states:

9. Frequent painful condition:

constant colds;
chronic tonsillitis;
exacerbation of a chronic disease;
muscle cramps;
the appearance of allergies;
permanent runny nose;
pain in the eyes;
feeling of persistent thirst.
low-grade fever for no apparent reason.

10. Emotional instability manifested as follows:

in outbursts of unreasonable anger;
irritability over small things;
in reactive mood changes;
in frequent apathy;
in acute anguish.

11. We began to “calm down” ourselves with new methods:

learned to smoke or increase the number of cigarettes;
I developed a craving for drinking alcohol in the evenings.

12. Terribly annoying:

13. No strength for simple housework.

In total, 60 questions were asked in 13 blocks. If you only answered “Yes” to 20 or fewer questions, you are simply exhausted. A good rest will fully restore your strength.

If the positive answers were in the range of 20-40, chronic fatigue syndrome is already present, but you can try to fight it yourself.

But if the result is more than 40 “Yes”, you should consult a doctor.

How to help yourself

Review the possible reasons that led to your deplorable physical condition and write another list of not the best habits that you are quite capable of getting rid of.

The main thing is not to rush to change your lifestyle too zealously:

if you are used to fatty foods, do not exclude them from the menu all at once, gradually replace them with energy products (porridge, nuts, dried fruits);
if you have never drank 2 liters of clean water daily, an excessively sharp increase in fluid can cause swelling;
If you decide to improve your physical tone, do not plan to do 40 push-ups today.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: what it is, symptoms, signs and treatment

In the 19th century, it was condescendingly called “hypochondria.” In the 20th century, it became known as “chronic fatigue,” and in the 21st century, “the disease of the century.” The symptoms are the same, but the age and extent of the spread have changed significantly. The disease is like an epidemic; more and more young people, residents of megacities, and the population of economically prosperous countries are falling into its sphere of influence.

Scientists are at odds arguing about the causes of various nervous system disorders characteristic of this syndrome, and cannot come to a common denominator. However, they are unanimous on one thing: CFS is a diagnosis officially recognized by medicine..

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease in which a feeling of weakness and fatigue accompanies a person for a long time (more than six months). Moreover, this condition does not disappear even after prolonged sleep and rest.

Figures and facts: Chronic fatigue syndrome has been considered an independent disease since 1988, with recognition of the need for treatment.

Symptoms of CFS have been identified in 20% of the inhabitants of planet Earth. And this figure is growing.

2% of teenagers suffer from CFS.

80% of cases are women.

Causes: 3 different opinions

There are many versions about the mechanism and causes of the disease, but there are three main ones that deserve attention.

Intense rhythm of modern life. This version is supported by the fact that the age most susceptible to chronic fatigue syndrome is 25–45 years old - the most productive age, when a person places unreasonable burdens on himself in an effort to succeed. The body cannot stand it and fails. Persistent symptoms of fatigue appear. The unfavorable ecological situation of polluted megacities also contributes, provoking oxygen starvation - brain hypoxia. A decrease in oxygenation entails disruptions in the body’s metabolic processes and leads to its slagging
The virus is to blame for everything. A fairly common theory is that CFS is caused by a group of viruses - herpes, retrovirus, enterovirus, cytomegalovirus. Recently, scientists at Stanford University received new confirmation of the viral nature of the syndrome. They identified its specific biomarkers - increased levels of hormone-like proteins, peptides, and cytokines in the body of some people. It has been shown that the higher a patient's levels of certain anti-inflammatory cytokines, the more severe their CFS symptoms.
Chronic diseases are to blame. At risk are patients suffering from cardiac pathology, autoimmune disorders - those who often “catch” viral infections. And also those who, trying not to miss anything at work, do not take sick leave and suffer from sore throats and acute respiratory viral infections. This often results in retribution in the form of chronic fatigue. The mechanism of this relationship is simple: an undertreated organism, weakened by a disease, malfunctions. The immune system is undermined, the nervous system is overloaded, the physical system is exhausted. As a result, there is a persistent feeling of fatigue, decline, physical and moral. In this case, the quality of life really deteriorates - dark thoughts attack the subconscious, anxiety and fear do not leave.

Scientists from the Netherlands have discovered a connection between the syndrome and a lack of iodine in the body or chronic problems with the thyroid gland. The blood composition of patients suffering from a lack of the hormones TSH and T4, as well as people with CFS, is similar. If this conclusion is correct, then an iodine diet can return a patient with the syndrome to normal life.

Risk factors

Representatives of professions exposed to constant stress, from whom increased responsibility and concentration are required - air traffic controllers, military personnel, firefighters, surgeons.
Workers with intense mental work who ignore vacations and weekends.
Teenagers preparing to enter university, students during the session.
Not receiving adequate nutrition.
Sleep deprived.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Living in an unfavorable ecological environment.
Not getting enough sunlight and fresh air.
Those experiencing life's troubles and troubles.
Possessors of a suspicious, conflicting psychotype.

Thus, the main factor leading to the occurrence of CFS is of a nervous nature - emotional burnout, nervous stress, insomnia, mental fatigue. All this provokes endocrine and metabolic disruptions in the body, reducing the protective forces of the immune system.

What to look for when diagnosing CFS

How to recognize chronic fatigue syndrome: signs and symptoms

Jamming the nervous system in a constant state of emergency is fraught with serious health problems and far-reaching consequences, so it is important to recognize the “enemy” in the early stages in order to know how to deal with it.

Symptoms of CFS are divided into mental and somatic.

Decreased performance - absent-mindedness, problems with concentrating, remembering, systematizing information, inability to perform creative activities.
Psychological disorders - depression, anxiety, anxiety, irritability, gloomy thoughts.
Intolerance to bright light.

Decreased physical activity - weakness, feeling tired and exhausted even after doing simple work.
Migraines - frequent, accompanied by “pulsation of the temples”, dizziness.
Insomnia - despite fatigue, sleep does not come or is weak and intermittent.
Tachycardia.
Enlarged and painful lymph nodes.
Impaired motor functions - muscle and joint pain, hand tremors, muscle weakness.
Decreased immunity - pharyngitis, sore throat, frequent colds, exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Symptomatic diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome

The presence of these symptoms is a reason to consult a doctor so that he can prescribe the necessary studies and tests. And based on the results obtained, he made an expert opinion and prescribed treatment. It is useless to wait for it to “go away on its own”, just as it is useless to hope that this is normal overwork and that it is enough to go to the seaside and sleep on the weekend. Neither a change in activity nor a change in environment will help with CFS. Qualified treatment is required.

Note: a full examination is also important because such dangerous diseases as early stage oncology and tuberculosis are cleverly disguised as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Doctors you should contact

Psychologist/psychotherapist - for symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, and increased psycho-emotional stress.
Neurologist - for migraines, dizziness, decreased performance, depressive states that arise against the background of constant stress and nervous tension.
Endocrinologist - for tremors, muscle pain, constant state of weakness and fatigue.
Immunologist - for frequent colds and exacerbations of chronic diseases.
Therapist - if the symptoms are difficult. The therapist will either prescribe treatment himself or give a referral to the right specialist.

Basic treatment methods

The disease requires complex therapy, which includes 4 important components:

Adequate rest - a deep night's sleep of at least 8 hours, daily half-hour walks in the fresh air.
Balanced nutrition - high-quality products that supply the body with the necessary amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Minimize or eliminate sweets, which cause sudden spikes in blood sugar, which a weakened body does not need.
Psychotherapy is the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist aimed at improving mood, self-confidence, and getting out of a stressful situation.
A competent daily routine - eliminating overload, emotional and physical, alternating work and rest, 3 food breaks, more time in the fresh air.

Note: it is important to treat diseases that can provoke constant hypoxia - sinusitis, rhinitis or chronic inflammation - carious teeth, tonsillitis.

Drug treatment

In addition to psychotherapeutic treatment, medications are often prescribed for CFS. There are 5 groups of drugs that are used for therapy.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are prescribed for pain syndromes - headaches, muscle pain, joint pain.
Vitamin complexes. Their goal is to restore proper metabolism, the body’s energy reserves, and strengthen the immune system - B vitamins, magnesium.
Immunomodulators. Prescribed to increase the body's immune strength and its resistance to infections and viruses.
Antiviral drugs. They fight viruses in the body and prevent their reproduction.
Psychotropic drugs. Antidepressants and daytime tranquilizers normalize the functioning of the nervous system. Relieves feelings of restlessness and anxiety.

It is a myth that taking tonics, such as eleutherococcus and lemongrass, is useful for raising vitality. In fact, they are not able to eliminate any of the causes of decreased vitality. Taking them by people with chronic fatigue syndrome will only lead to increased consumption of internal reserves, which are already in short supply. As a result, worsening health problems.

Taking tonic drugs is indicated only for healthy people who are facing serious physical or nervous stress.

Treatment at home

Simple folk remedies and preventive measures are available at home, and there is also nothing complicated about them.

You can resort to traditional medicine methods and prepare an “invigorating oil”.

For this you will need:

olive oil - 1 bottle;
fresh rosemary - 1 teaspoon.

Mix and use when cooking.

Licorice root is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent that reduces cortisol levels in the blood. Its regular use (2 g) can restore vitality in 2 weeks.

Aromatherapy with lavender, rosemary or sandalwood oil. A few drops on a handkerchief and inhale. Helps you relax and promote healthy sleep.

Work breaks every 2 hours.
Physical activity - walking, swimming, morning exercises.
Quitting bad habits and fast food.
Increasing the diet of fresh vegetables and fruits with the addition of nuts, honey, and berries.
A full 8 hours of sleep.
Change of scenery - trips to nature, out of town, visits to resorts.

Acupuncture is often used to combat chronic fatigue.

Useful physical procedures for chronic fatigue syndrome

Acupuncture/acupuncture - influencing certain points of the body helps relieve pain, calms the nervous system, and restores energy balance. It has a positive effect on the immune system and helps relieve tension, both muscular and nervous.
Massage - therapeutic, acupressure, lymphatic drainage. Improves blood circulation and lymph flow, metabolic processes, helps cleanse the body of waste and toxins, and improves immunity.
Therapeutic exercise - activating different muscle groups, improving blood circulation and restoring energy.
Laser therapy - activates metabolism, stimulates the activity of the nervous system.
Magnetic therapy has a good effect on the endocrine and immune systems. Has an analgesic and relaxing effect.
Hydrotherapy - water treatments relieve stress, soothe and relax.

Is it possible to cure yourself by doing nothing?

The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems. On the one hand, there is a common misconception that laziness is an excuse for those who avoid work. In fact, laziness may be a manifestation of a natural instinct - the desire to save vitality.

Important: if the desire to lie down and rest arises often and becomes regular, then this is an alarming signal that the body is on the verge and its supply of vitality has depleted. Laziness can be evidence of both CFS and another serious illness.

On the other hand, there is another persistent myth: “Chronic fatigue will go away if you rest a little.”

It won't work! If a person is healthy, then even with heavy physical activity his strength will be restored after a night's sleep. With CFS, you can not bother with anything, sleep all night and the next morning feel completely broken and empty.

The causes of fatigue are internal, not external. For example, this could be a malfunction of the thyroid gland, which slows down metabolism and deprives the brain of adequate nutrition.

Fact: 14% of patients referred to a psychiatrist with signs of depression and weakness actually suffer from a low thyroid function.

The question arises: what causes the thyroid gland to malfunction? Psychologists believe that the imbalance between stimuli is to blame for this - those that are sent to us by the external environment and those that we give in response.

Most often this occurs among housewives and people with monotonous work. They don't get enough stimulation to their nervous system. In other words, they lack impressions, a certain dose of stress, so that the body has the opportunity to shake itself up, mobilize and react properly.

When there are few such incentives, the settings begin to go astray. A similar situation occurs when there is too much stress.

Everything is good in moderation. Achieving the golden mean, finding harmony with oneself and the world around us will be the very antidote that will save humanity from the disease of the 21st century - chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue test

Why fatigue came: a test to determine the cause

When is fatigue most pronounced?

The statement that most accurately describes the patterns between wakefulness and sleep.

A. In the morning you feel tired, and by lunchtime you want to lie down.
B. It is difficult to fall asleep, but awakening occurs early in the morning.
C. Lots of things to do, no time to get enough sleep.
D. Sleep well, the morning is cheerful, I have enough energy.

Which statement is most accurate regarding nutrition?

A. You have to eat irregularly throughout the day.
B. Breakfast is skipped, but lunch and dinner are included.
C. Adequate meals - three times a day, with lunch and dinner being hearty.
D. Meals are regular, several times a day.

What food is most preferable?

A. Favorites include fatty, salty and sweet foods.
B. Porridge and pasta are common in the diet.
C. More inclined to satisfying dishes.
D. The food is improved, there is more plant food, and the portions are moderate.

What is your exposure to stress?

A. Constant tension, worries and anxiety.
B. There are worries about obligations and ordinary everyday problems.
C. Always calm, with the exception of unpleasant situations that cause anxiety.
D. There is self-control, but it happens that a stressful situation periodically absorbs completely.

How well do you manage your emotions independently?

A. I usually manage emotions.
B. Sometimes you can control them perfectly, but sometimes they take over.
C. Feeling depressed often comes.
D. Every day, regardless of the emotional background, time is allocated for relaxation.

How often do you have physical activity in your life?

A. Extremely rare.
B. Lifestyle is sedentary, but a walk is performed every day.
D. Regular moderate physical activity, which only gives more energy and strength.

What do you usually do with your free time?

A. There is practically none.
B. Free time is spent relaxing and calming down.
C. It’s practically impossible to relax; my head is full of unnecessary thoughts, even during free time.
D. Free hours are spent on hobbies, family and friends.

The most preferred drink that is consumed most often?

A. This is usually coffee, or, in extreme cases, strong tea.
B. Carbonated drinks.
C. There is no particular difference in what to drink, but in general, it is preferable to drink with friends.
D. Pure water or juices.

How would you like to continue living, or in what direction should you change it?

A. Live without frequent stress.
B. Stop worrying about lack of strength.
C. I would like to manage my life better.
D. Become the leader and soul of the company.

Test: chronic fatigue syndrome

Try to be extremely honest and sincere in answering “yes” or “no” to all the questions in this short test. So:

1. When you wake up in the morning, do you need to “sway” longer than usual, making an effort to get involved in your usual (including work) life?

2. In the midst of work, do you begin to feel a drop in productivity, the need to strain, make additional efforts to complete it well?

3. Do you need some kind of “doping” (coffee, strong tea...) to at least feel in good shape during working hours?

4. Have you begun to react poorly to weather changes that cause pain in your back, joints, headaches, and weakness?

5. Does your appetite go up and down?

6. Have you started to experience unpleasant, sometimes painful sensations in the heart area?

7. Are your hands and feet starting to feel cold?

8. Have you started to worry about some dysfunctions, some disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract?

9. Have you become increasingly irritable, hot-tempered, or have you had episodes of causeless depression in your mood?

10. Have you started to experience allergic reactions or become more frequent?

11. Does your sex drive decrease?

12. Has your sleep become intermittent, restless, superficial, or have you had trouble falling asleep?

Find opportunities to fully rest and relax

First of all, you should not allow the occurrence and development of chronic fatigue. But not every person succeeds in avoiding stress and establishing a rational, healthy lifestyle.

To do this, you should sleep at least 8 or even 9 hours. And if possible, add sleep during the daytime.

The so-called can help relieve muscle tension. relaxation exercises based on releasing tension from muscles and maximizing their relaxation.

Do exercises

While working, it is best to do a light warm-up every two hours. Then you can sit, relax and slightly wiggle your fingers and toes in your work chair.

If your job (and your boss) allows, you can warm up with the following simple exercises:

2) You can use self-massage to “recharge your internal battery.”

Change clothes after work

Do self-massage

In addition, by rubbing your hands under running water, you will influence certain biologically active points, performing a kind of tonic self-massage.

Drink vitamin drinks and moderate the influence of bad habits

Further information: Causes of chronic fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome: symptoms and diagnosis

The modern world requires maximum effort and constant tension from a person. All you have to do is relax a little and you're already out of your element. That's why most people are always in a hurry to get somewhere, live at a frantic pace and don't give themselves a moment's rest.

This behavior has a downside in the form of health problems. Moreover, they result in completely different diseases: some are overcome by frequent acute respiratory infections, some experience hormonal imbalances, and some even get cancer this way. The formulations of the main diseases are more or less understandable to the common man. But since the end of the last century, an official separate disease has appeared in medicine under the strange name “chronic fatigue syndrome.” Yes, yes, chronic fatigue, today, is a disease, and not just a temporary condition. And like every disease, chronic fatigue syndrome has its own causes, symptoms and treatments. Since a state of prolonged fatigue has accompanied almost every one of us at least once in our lives, let’s try to figure out where is the line between normal and pathological? What is considered ordinary fatigue, and what is considered a disease? How to determine if a person has chronic fatigue syndrome? You can find answers to these questions by reading this article.

Definition

The official definition of chronic fatigue syndrome is something like this: chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disease characterized by excessive physical and mental fatigue, lasting at least 6 months, not relieved by rest or sleep, accompanied by numerous joint, muscle, infectious and neuropsychological symptoms. Thus, it becomes clear that fatigue can be considered a disease only if it exists for at least six months and in combination with other symptoms.

The first mention of chronic fatigue syndrome dates back to the 30s of the twentieth century, but until 1988 the wording was different. Synonyms for CFS are the following: benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic mononucleosis, myalgic encephalopathy, post-viral fatigue syndrome. This is exactly what this disease was called throughout the 20th century. Such different formulations of the same condition were associated with the search for the immediate causes of CFS. Since the only cause was never established, scientists decided to associate the name with the main symptom. So, in 1988, the Americans proposed the term “chronic fatigue syndrome,” and since 1994 the name has become international.

Causes of CFS

A reliable source of development of CFS has not yet been established. There are only assumptions about the leading role of one or another process in each specific case. Among the conditions with which CFS is directly linked, it is worth noting the following:

past viral infections (Epstein-Barr virus, Coxsackie virus group B, cytomegalovirus, herpes virus type 6, hepatitis C virus, enteroviruses);
violations of control of body functions by the nervous system. This is especially true for the autonomic nervous system, the sphere of higher nervous activity (memory, thinking, and so on);
mental disorders. In most cases of CFS, precursors are identified in the form of changes in mood, feelings of unmotivated anxiety;
being in a state of chronic stress;
unfavorable environmental conditions combined with an unhealthy lifestyle. Residents of large cities who work too hard, with an inadequate diet, without a sufficient amount of physical activity and in conditions of constant lack of sleep are the first candidates for CFS.

It cannot be said that any one of the above factors is decisive or more significant. Modern scientists believe that it is the coincidence of a number of conditions that leads to the development of CFS.

There are predisposing factors for CFS. This:

female gender (according to statistics, 60-85% of all those suffering from this pathology are women);
increased emotionality (cholerics are more likely to suffer from CFS);
age;
presence of a responsible profession (doctors, firefighters, emergency workers, pilots, etc.).

Symptoms

The main symptom of CFS is physical and mental fatigue, which bothers the person for at least 6 months. Fatigue seems overwhelming to the patient. “I’m squeezed like a lemon,” “I’m exhausted to the point of exhaustion,” “it’s like I’ve been put through a meat grinder,” this is approximately how patients with CFS formulate their feelings. The difference between simple overwork and chronic fatigue syndrome is that with CFS, no rest helps restore the body's strength. Neither sleep nor vacation with a change of scenery in any way affects the feeling of fatigue. However, you should not confuse the condition of CFS with depression. With depression, a person does not want to do anything, does not strive for anything, but with CFS the situation is the opposite - desires do not coincide with possibilities.

In addition to feeling tired, a patient with CFS has other symptoms:

pain. This can be joint and muscle pain, pain in the abdomen, throat, chest, eyes, bones, perineum, genitals, skin, headaches. The pain tends to migrate from place to place and lacks stability. Pain in the same place has different sensations (“yesterday it was shooting, today it aches or stings”);
deterioration of memory and attention. These changes are noticed by the patient and cause him a lot of trouble;
sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep, intermittent sleep at night and, as a result, daytime sleepiness);
decreased performance;
irritable bowel syndrome (bloating, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain);
trembling and sweating at night;
low or high body temperature (up to 36.0°C and 38.0°C, respectively);
difficulty breathing (“something is stopping you from breathing”), chronic cough in the absence of objective reasons for it;
increased sensitivity to noise, light;
sudden intolerance to smells and tastes that you previously liked;
problems associated with changing body position. In this case, we mean dizziness, increased heart rate, and faintness when changing body position from horizontal to vertical;
instability of mood, anxiety, irritability, apathy, unreasonable fears;
decrease or increase in body weight;
frequent colds.

Of course, not all symptoms are observed in every patient. Fatigue is usually accompanied by several additional complaints.

When analyzing all the above symptoms, one important fact should be taken into account: all of them can be regarded as indirect signs of CFS only if there are no other health problems. That is, for example, if a person suffers from migraines and has an intolerance to bright light and loud sounds, then this cannot be regarded as a symptom in the case of CFS. Modern medicine has identified a whole group of conditions, the presence of which obviously excludes the possibility of making a diagnosis such as chronic fatigue syndrome. These include:

chronic somatic diseases (hepatitis B or C, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, severe anemia, chronic renal failure, chronic heart failure, bronchial asthma, cancer, and so on);
some mental disorders (anorexia or bulimia, dementia, depression, manic-depressive disorder, schizophrenia);
addiction to alcohol or drugs within 2 years before the onset of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome;
excess body weight (3rd degree obesity);
taking medications that themselves can provoke a feeling of general weakness (for example, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers).

Today, official medicine has the following interesting information about the duration of CFS. The average lifespan of the disease is about 5-7 years, although cases of CFS lasting more than 20 years have already been described. Such a long existence of the disease is probably due to an underestimation of symptoms, a lack of perception of one’s condition as a disease, and also, to be honest, with the illiteracy of medical personnel, who often dismiss people with CFS.

Often the disease has an undulating course with periods of slight improvement in well-being. Periods of partial or even complete remission are possible, but relapses almost always occur. Constant fatigue prevents a person from working, so up to 2/3 of all patients with such problems do not work at all or have part-time work.

Diagnostics

There is no specific diagnostic test or examination for CFS. Domestic medicine generally rarely establishes such a diagnosis. And, nevertheless, since such a disease exists, let's try to understand the intricacies of its diagnosis.

In 1994, clinical criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome were developed. According to them, to establish a diagnosis of CFS, the presence of 4 or more of the following 8 symptoms is necessary:

deterioration of memory, ability to concentrate;
pain when palpating the cervical or axillary lymph nodes;
pain or feeling of muscle tension;
joint pain (without other signs of joint damage such as redness or swelling);
new headache or change in the characteristics of a previously existing headache;
unproductive sleep (without feeling of recuperation);
increased fatigue up to complete exhaustion after any physical or mental stress, lasting more than a day.

The next important step in diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome is to exclude other diseases that may manifest symptoms of CFS. To do this, an exhaustive examination of the patient is carried out (after all, the symptoms are so nonspecific and can serve as a manifestation of a huge number of somatic problems). The main studies include:

general blood test (including determination of leukocyte formula, ESR, platelets);
biochemical parameters (liver and kidney tests, protein, glucose, calcium, sodium, potassium, alkaline phosphatase and others);
general urine analysis;
acute phase reactions (determination of C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor);
specific tests for infectious diseases (they are carried out if the patient associates the appearance of symptoms with a previous infectious disease): examination for syphilis, viral hepatitis, herpes viruses, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, candidiasis, and so on. An HIV test is mandatory for every patient who complains of constant fatigue;
study of the patient’s hormonal background;
electrocardiography;
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain;
polysomnography (computer study of the sleep period with simultaneous recording of many indicators).

This is by no means the entire range of possible examinations. Their list may be different, depending on the complaints of a particular patient (for example, for chronic cough, a chest x-ray is necessary). You may need to consult several specialists (otorhinolaryngologist, ophthalmologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, infectious disease specialist, oncologist and others) to ensure that there is no organic cause of CFS. We can say that chronic fatigue syndrome is more of a diagnosis of exclusion than of establishing specific disorders.

In addition to laboratory and instrumental research methods, patients undergo a screening study of cognitive and mental status. They are also asked to complete special questionnaires developed for CFS (Multidimensional Fatigue Questionnaire, Quality of Life Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire and Sleep Quality Questionnaire). Such a versatile and multifaceted study of the human body allows us to clarify the nature of the disorders.

The result of the examination is as follows: in the absence of obvious signs of another disease and the presence of at least 4 clinical criteria out of 8 (from 1994), we can talk about the presence of CFS.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a relatively new formulation of modern human health problems associated with urbanization and the accelerated pace of life. Humanity has existed for many centuries, but only the last 100 years have been associated with such a condition as chronic fatigue syndrome. And although CFS is not yet a very common diagnosis, perhaps in the future much more attention will be paid to this problem due to the increasing number of cases of treatment with this pathology.

Channel “Israeli Medicine”, program on the topic “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”:

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by excessive, disabling fatigue that persists for at least 6 months and is accompanied by numerous joint, infectious and neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is defined as prolonged, severe, disabling fatigue without obvious muscle weakness. There are no associated disorders that could explain the fatigue. There are typically no depression, anxiety or other psychological diagnoses. Treatment is rest and psychological support; often with the use of antidepressants.

ICD-10 code

Epidemiology

This definition of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has several variations, and the heterogeneity of patients who meet the criteria for this definition is significant. Prevalence cannot be accurately determined; it varies from 7 to 38/person. Prevalence may vary due to differences in diagnostic evaluation, physician-patient relationships, social acceptability, risk of exposure to an infectious or toxic substance, or case identification and definition. Chronic fatigue syndrome is more common in women. Office-based studies have shown that the incidence is higher among people with white skin color. However, reviews of various communities indicate a higher prevalence among people of color, Hispanics, Latin Americans, and American Indians.

Approximately every fifth patient (10-25%) seeking medical help complains of prolonged fatigue. Typically, the feeling of fatigue is a transient symptom that disappears spontaneously or with treatment of the underlying disease. However, in some patients this complaint begins to persist and have a negative impact on their overall health. When fatigue cannot be explained by any disease, it is assumed that it is associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, the diagnosis of which can only be made after excluding other somatic and mental disorders.

The prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in the adult population, according to some data, can reach 3%. Approximately 80% of all cases of chronic fatigue syndrome remain undiagnosed. Children and adolescents develop chronic fatigue syndrome much less frequently than adults. The peak incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome occurs in active age (40-59 years). Women in all age categories are more susceptible to chronic fatigue syndrome (60-85% of all cases).

Causes of chronic fatigue syndrome

Initially, they were inclined to the infectious theory of the development of chronic fatigue syndrome (viral infection), but further research revealed a wide variety of changes in many areas, including the structure and function of the brain, neuroendocrine response, sleep structure, immune system, and psychological profile. Currently, the most common stress-dependent model of the pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome, although it cannot explain all the pathological changes characteristic of this syndrome. Based on this, most researchers postulate that chronic fatigue syndrome is a heterogeneous syndrome, which is based on various pathophysiological abnormalities. Some of them may predispose to the development of chronic fatigue syndrome, others directly cause the development of the disease, and still others determine its progression. Risk factors for chronic fatigue syndrome include female gender, genetic predisposition, certain personality traits or behavioral style, etc.

Stress-dependent hypothesis

The premorbid history of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, as a rule, contains indications of a large number of stressful life events, previous infectious diseases and surgical interventions. Manifestation or exacerbation of chronic fatigue syndrome and its comorbid conditions in adults is often associated with stress or conflict situations.
Mental trauma in childhood (child abuse, abuse, neglect, etc.) is considered an important risk factor for the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. High reactivity to unfavorable psychosocial factors is characteristic of the entire spectrum of disorders associated with mental trauma in childhood. Early life stress, during a critical period of increased brain plasticity, persistently impacts brain regions involved in cognitive-emotional processes and regulating the endocrine, autonomic, and immune systems. There is experimental and clinical evidence that traumatic events experienced at a young age lead to long-term disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system and a more pronounced reaction to stress. However, not all patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have a history of childhood psychological trauma. Probably, this mechanism can play a leading role in the pathogenesis of only a certain group of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Comprehensive studies of neuroendocrine status in chronic fatigue syndrome have revealed significant changes in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, which confirms a violation of the physiological response to stress. One third of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have hypocortisolism, which is likely to be of central origin. Also worthy of attention is the discovery in families of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome of a mutation that disrupts the production of a protein necessary for the transport of cortisol in the blood. Women (but not men) with chronic fatigue syndrome have a reduced morning cortisol peak compared to healthy women. These sex differences in the circadian rhythm of cortisol production may explain the higher risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in women. Low cortisol levels lead to disinhibition of immune mediators and determine the response to stress of the suprasegmental parts of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn causes fatigue, pain phenomena, cognitive impairment and affective symptoms. Taking serotonin agonists in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome leads to a greater increase in plasma prolactin levels compared to healthy individuals. In patients suffering from major depression, the pattern of neuroendocrine disorders is reversed (hypercortisolism, serotonin-mediated suppression of prolactin). In contrast, depletion of morning cortisol levels has been observed in individuals suffering from chronic pain and various emotional disorders. Currently, dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hormonal response to stress, and the neurotransmitter effects of serotonin are the most reproducible changes found in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome are characterized by a distorted perception of natural bodily sensations as painful symptoms. They are also characterized by increased sensitivity to physical stress (low threshold for changes in heart rate, blood pressure, etc.). A similar pattern of impaired perception can be observed in relation to stress-related bodily sensations. It is believed that perceptual disturbances, regardless of the etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome, are the basis for the appearance and persistence of symptoms and their painful interpretation.

Central nervous system disorders. Some symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (fatigue, impaired concentration and memory, headache) suggest the pathogenetic possibility of central nervous system dysfunction. In some cases, MRI reveals nonspecific changes in the subcortical white matter of the brain, which, however, are not associated with cognitive impairment. Regional abnormalities in cerebral perfusion (usually hypoperfusion) on SPECT scans are typical. In general, all changes identified to date are not clinically significant.

Autonomic dysfunction. D.H. Streeten, G.H. Anderson (1992) suggested that one cause of chronic fatigue may be failure to maintain blood pressure in an upright position. It is possible that a separate subgroup of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome has orthostatic intolerance [the latter refers to symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion, such as weakness, lipothymia, blurred vision, occurring in an upright position and associated with sympathetic activation (tachycardia, nausea, tremors) and an objective increase in heart rate more than than 30 per minute]. Postural tachycardia associated with orthostatic intolerance is quite often observed in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome. Symptoms characteristic of postural tachycardia (dizziness, palpitations, pulsations, impaired tolerance to physical and mental stress, lipothymia, chest pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety disorders, etc.) are also noted in many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. The pathogenesis of postural tachycardia syndrome remains unclear; they suggest the role of baroreceptor dysfunction, increased sensitivity of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, pathological changes in the venous system, disturbances in norepinephrine metabolism, etc. In general, in some patients, chronic fatigue syndrome may indeed be pathogenetically caused by autonomic dysfunction , manifesting orthostatic intolerance.

Infections. Epstein-Barr virus, herpes virus type 6, Coxsackie virus group B, T-cell lymphotropic virus type II, hepatitis C virus, enteroviruses, retroviruses, etc. were previously considered as possible etiological agents of chronic fatigue syndrome. evidence of the infectious nature of chronic fatigue syndrome has not been obtained. In addition, therapy aimed at suppressing viral infection does not improve the course of the disease. Nevertheless, a heterogeneous group of infectious agents continues to be considered as a factor contributing to the manifestation or chronic course of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Immune system disorders. Despite numerous studies, only minor abnormalities in the immune status have been identified in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. First of all, they relate to increasing the expression of active markers on the surface of T-lymphocytes, as well as increasing the concentration of various autoimmune antibodies. Summarizing these results, it can be stated that mild activation of the immune system is typical for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, but it remains unknown whether these changes have any pathogenetic significance.

Mental disorders. Since there is no convincing evidence of a somatic cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, many researchers postulate that it is a primary mental illness. Others believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is one of the manifestations of other mental illnesses, in particular somatization disorder, hypochondria, major or atypical depression. Indeed, in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, the incidence of mood disorders is higher than in the general population or among people with chronic somatic diseases. In most cases, mood disorders or anxiety precede the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome. On the other hand, the high prevalence of affective disorders in chronic fatigue syndrome may be a consequence of an emotional response to disabling fatigue, immune changes, and central nervous system disorders. There are other objections to the identification of chronic fatigue syndrome with mental illness. Firstly, although some manifestations of chronic fatigue syndrome are close to nonspecific mental symptoms, many others, such as pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, arthalgia, are not at all typical for mental disorders. Secondly, anxiety-depressive disorders are associated with central activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (moderate hypercortisolism), on the contrary, with chronic fatigue syndrome, central inhibition of this system is more often observed.

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome

Subjectively, patients can formulate the main complaint differently (“I feel completely exhausted”, “I constantly lack energy”, “I am completely exhausted”, “I am exhausted”, “regular exercise makes me exhausted”, etc. .). With active questioning, it is important to differentiate the actual increased fatigue from muscle weakness or feelings of despondency.

Most patients rate their premorbid physical condition as excellent or good. Feelings of extreme fatigue come on suddenly and are usually accompanied by flu-like symptoms. The disease may be preceded by respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or vaccination. Less commonly, the disease has a gradual onset, and sometimes begins gradually over many months. After the onset of the disease, patients notice that physical or mental effort leads to worsening feelings of fatigue. Many patients find that even minimal physical effort leads to significant fatigue and an increase in other symptoms. Prolonged rest or avoidance of physical activity can reduce the severity of many symptoms of the disease.

The often observed pain syndrome is characterized by diffuseness, uncertainty, and a tendency to migrate pain sensations. In addition to pain in muscles and joints, patients complain of headache, sore throat, tenderness of the lymph nodes, and abdominal pain (often associated with a comorbid condition - irritable bowel syndrome). Chest pain is also typical for this category of patients, some of them complain of “painful” tachycardia. Some patients complain of pain in unusual places [eyes, bones, skin (pain at the slightest touch to the skin), perineum and genitals].

Changes in the immune system include tender lymph nodes, repeated episodes of sore throat, recurrent flu-like symptoms, general malaise, and hypersensitivity to foods and/or medications that were previously tolerated normally.

In addition to the 8 core symptoms that qualify as diagnostic criteria, patients may present with a variety of other disorders, the frequency of which varies widely. Most often, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome note a decrease in appetite up to anorexia or its increase, fluctuations in body weight, nausea, sweating, dizziness, poor tolerance to alcohol and medications that affect the central nervous system. The prevalence of autonomic dysfunction in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome has not been studied, however, autonomic disorders have been described both in individual clinical observations and in epidemiological studies. More often than others, orthostatic hypotension and tachycardia, episodes of sweating, pallor, sluggish pupillary reactions, constipation, frequent urination, respiratory disorders (feeling of lack of air, obstruction in the airways or pain when breathing) are observed.

Approximately 85% of patients complain of impaired concentration and weakened memory, but routine neuropsychological examination usually does not reveal disorders of mnestic function. However, upon in-depth study, minor but undoubted impairments in memory and assimilation of information are often discovered. In general, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have normal cognitive and intellectual abilities.

Sleep disorders are represented by difficulty falling asleep, interrupted night sleep, daytime sleepiness, while the results of polysomnography are very variable. The most often described is “alpha intrusion” (imposition) during slow-wave sleep and a decrease in the duration of stage IV sleep. However, these findings are unstable and do not have diagnostic value; in addition, sleep disturbances do not correlate with the severity of the disease. In general, fatigue should be clinically distinguished from drowsiness and take into account that drowsiness can either accompany chronic fatigue syndrome or be a symptom of other diseases that exclude the diagnosis of chronic fatigue (for example, sleep apnea syndrome).

Almost all patients with chronic fatigue syndrome develop social maladjustment. Approximately a third of patients are unable to work and another third prefer part-time professional employment. The average duration of the disease is 5-7 years, but symptoms can persist for more than 20 years. The disease often occurs in waves, with periods of exacerbation (deterioration) alternating with periods of relatively good health. Most patients experience partial or complete remissions, but the disease often recurs.

Additional symptoms identified in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, or bloating).
Chills and sweats at night.
Feeling of fog, emptiness in the head.
Chest pain.
Labored breathing.
Chronic cough.
Visual disturbances (blurred vision, intolerance to bright light, eye pain, dry eyes).
Food allergies, hypersensitivity to alcohol, odors, chemicals, medications, noise.
Difficulty maintaining an upright position (orthostatic instability, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, unsteadiness, fainting).
Psychological problems (depression, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks).
Pain in the lower half of the face.
Increase or decrease in body weight

The feeling of excessive fatigue, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome itself, is comorbid with many functional diseases, such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, mandibular joint dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, etc.

Diagnostic criteria

Chronic fatigue syndrome has been described many times under various names; searching for a term that most fully reflects the essence of the disease. continue to this day. The following terms were most often used in the literature: “benign myalgic encephalomyelitis” (1956), “myalgic encephalopathy”, “chronic mononucleosis” (chronic infection with the Epstein-Barr virus) (1985), “chronic fatigue syndrome” (1988), “post-viral syndrome fatigue." ICD-9 (1975) did not mention chronic fatigue syndrome, but did include the term “benign myalgic encephalomyelitis” (323.9). ICD-10 (1992) introduced a new category - post-viral fatigue syndrome (G93).

The term and definition of chronic fatigue syndrome were first introduced by US scientists in 1988, who suggested a viral etiology of the syndrome. The Epstein-Barr virus was considered as the main pathogen. In 1994, a revision of the definition of chronic fatigue syndrome was carried out and in an updated version it acquired international status. According to the 1994 definition, the diagnosis requires persistence (or remittance) of unexplained fatigue that is not relieved by rest and significantly limits daily activities for at least 6 months. In addition, 4 or more of the following 8 symptoms must be present.

Problems with memory or concentration.
Pharyngitis.
Pain on palpation of the cervical or axillary lymph nodes.
Muscle soreness or stiffness.
Joint tenderness (no redness or swelling).
New headache or change in its characteristics (type, severity).
A dream that does not bring a feeling of restoration (freshness, vigor).
Worsening fatigue to the point of exhaustion after physical or mental effort, lasting more than 24 hours.

In 2003, the International Group on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome recommended the use of standardized scales to assess the main symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (impaired daily activities, fatigue and accompanying symptom complex).

Conditions that exclude the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome are the following:

The presence of any current somatic diseases that may explain the persistence of chronic fatigue, such as severe anemia, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea syndrome, narcolepsy, cancer, chronic hepatitis B or C, uncontrolled diabetes, heart failure and other severe cardiovascular diseases , chronic renal failure, inflammatory and dysimmune diseases, diseases of the nervous system, severe obesity, etc., as well as taking medications, the side effects of which include a feeling of general weakness.
Mental illness (including history).
- Major depression with psychotic or melancholic symptoms.
- Bipolar affective disorder.
- Psychotic conditions (schizophrenia).
- Dementia.
- Anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
Abuse of drugs or alcohol for 2 years before the onset of fatigue and for some time after.
Severe obesity (body mass index 45 or more).

The new definition also includes diseases and conditions that do not exclude the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome:

Disease conditions that are diagnosed based on clinical criteria only and that cannot be confirmed by laboratory tests.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Somatoform disorders.
- Non-melancholic depression.
- Neurasthenia.
Diseases associated with chronic fatigue, but whose successful treatment led to an improvement in all symptoms (the adequacy of therapy must be verified). For example, the success of replacement therapy for hypothyroidism must be verified by the normal level of thyroid hormones, the adequacy of treatment for bronchial asthma - by assessing respiratory function, etc.
Diseases associated with chronic fatigue and caused by a specific pathogen, such as Lyme disease, syphilis, if adequate treatment was carried out before the onset of symptoms of chronic fatigue.
Isolated and unexplained paraclinical abnormalities (changes in laboratory parameters, neuroimaging findings), which are not sufficient to strictly confirm or exclude any disease. For example, these findings may include elevated antinuclear antibody titers in the absence of additional laboratory or clinical evidence to reliably diagnose a connective tissue disorder.

Unexplained chronic fatigue that does not fully meet diagnostic criteria may be considered idiopathic chronic fatigue.

In 2007, the UK National Institute of Health (NICE) published less stringent criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome, recommended for use by various specialists.

The presence of new, persistent or recurrent fatigue (over 4 months in adults and 3 months in children), which:
- cannot be explained by any other disease;
- significantly limits activity level;
- characterized by malaise or worsening fatigue after any effort (physical or mental), followed by extremely slow recovery (over at least 24 hours, but usually within a few days).
The presence of one or more symptoms from the following list: sleep disturbance, muscle or joint pain of polysegmental localization without signs of inflammation, headache, tenderness of the lymph nodes without pathological enlargement, pharyngitis, cognitive dysfunction, worsening of symptoms with physical or mental stress, general malaise, dizziness and/or nausea, palpitations in the absence of organic heart pathology.

The NICE criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome have received considerable criticism from experts, which is why most researchers and clinicians continue to use the 1994 international criteria.

Along with chronic fatigue syndrome, secondary forms of this syndrome are also identified in a number of neurological diseases. Chronic fatigue is observed in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, motor neuron diseases, chronic cerebral ischemia, strokes, post-polio syndrome, etc. Secondary forms of chronic fatigue are based on direct damage to the central nervous system and the influence of other factors indirectly related to the underlying disease, for example, depression that has arisen as a reaction to a neurological disease.

Diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome

There are no specific paraclinical tests to confirm the clinical diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. At the same time, a mandatory examination is carried out to exclude diseases, one of the manifestations of which may be chronic fatigue. Clinical evaluation of patients with the leading complaint of chronic fatigue includes the following measures.

Detailed medical history, including medications used by the patient that may be causing fatigue.
Exhaustive examination of the patient’s somatic and neurological status. Superficial palpation of somatic muscles in 70% of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with gentle pressure reveals painful points localized in various muscles, often their location corresponds to that of fibromyalgia.
Screening study of cognitive and mental status.
Carrying out a set of screening laboratory tests:
- general blood test (including leukocyte count and ESR determination);
- biochemical blood test (calcium and other electrolytes, glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, ALT and AST, alkaline phosphatase);
- assessment of thyroid function (thyroid hormones);
- urine analysis (protein, glucose, cellular composition).

Additional studies usually include determination of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation), rheumatoid factor, and CPK (muscle enzyme) activity. Determination of ferritin is useful in children and adolescents, as well as in adults if other tests confirm iron deficiency. Specific tests confirming infectious diseases (Lyme disease, viral hepatitis, HIV, mononucleosis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus infection), as well as a serological panel of tests for Epstein-Barr viruses, enteroviruses, retroviruses, herpes viruses type 6 and Candida albicans are carried out only when a history of indications of an infectious disease. On the contrary, MRI of the brain and examination of the cardiovascular system are considered routine methods when chronic fatigue syndrome is suspected. To exclude sleep apnea, polysomnography should be performed.

In addition, it is advisable to use special questionnaires to help assess the severity of the disease and monitor its course. The most commonly used are the following.

The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-MFI assesses general fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, reduction in motivation and activity. Fatigue is defined as severe if the score on the general fatigue scale is 13 points or more (or on the activity reduction scale - 10 points or more).
Quality of life questionnaire SF-36 (Medical outcomes survey short form-36) to assess impairment of functional activity in 8 categories (limitation of physical activity, limitation of usual role activities due to health problems, limitation of usual role activities due to emotional problems, physical pain, general health assessment, vitality assessment, social functioning and general mental health). The ideal norm is 100 points. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome are characterized by a decrease in functional activity (70 points or less), social functioning (75 points or less) and a decrease in the emotional scale (65 points or less).
List of CDC symptoms (CDC Symptom Inventory) for identifying and assessing the duration and severity of the symptom complex associated with fatigue (in a minimized form, it is a total assessment of the severity of 8 symptom-criteria of chronic fatigue syndrome).
If necessary, the McGill Pain Score and the Sleep Answer Questionnaire are also used.

Differential diagnosis

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, that is, its formulation requires careful differential diagnosis to exclude many severe and even life-threatening diseases (chronic heart disease, anemia, thyroid pathology, tumors, chronic infections, endocrine diseases, connective tissue diseases, inflammatory diseases intestines, mental disorders, etc.).

In addition, it should be remembered that feeling tired can be a side effect of certain medications (muscle relaxants, analgesics, beta blockers, benzodiazepines, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs, beta interferons).

Akioshi was born on August 19, 1961 in Kochi.

At the University of Tsukuba, the future professor studies the psychology and behavior of animals, as well as the brain activity of monkeys at the Department of Biology, and receives a bachelor's degree.

In 1991, Akioshi Kitaoka received a doctorate in psychology, specializing in illusions of movement, visual illusions, perception of geometric shapes, color, brightness and other visual phenomena.

According to Akioshi Kitaoka, with the help of pictures, so-called “visual illusions,” one can determine a person’s mental state; they help reflect his inner mood.

01. If the drawings are absolutely motionless, you have nothing to worry about, your mental health is in perfect order
The professor believes that such a result is possible in a balanced, calm and rested person

02. If the drawings move slowly, you need rest, both physical and mental
Particularly important is proper sleep, which is the best antidepressant.

03. Active movement of the pattern can serve as a symptom:
accumulated fatigue
the high level of stress you are currently experiencing
deterioration of health

Perhaps you should reconsider your lifestyle and thinking patterns, turn to a psychologist for help in order to establish mental harmony and improve your health. Of course, this test cannot be used to accurately diagnose your mental state.

Look. Analyze. And be healthy!

To make sure that the image is static, you need to focus your vision on one area of the picture - the movement, if you observed it, stops. This convinces us that the movement of the drawing is created by our imagination.

Yes, Akioshi Kitaoka is also famous for the fact that Gaga used his drawings for the album cover.

Yes! Pictures can be printed and hung above the table. For current diagnostics, so to speak!

Be healthy!

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Chronic fatigue test -

Illusions are actually motionless - you are calm, balanced, you do not urgently need to quit work and go on vacation.

If illusions are actively moving, you need rest.

If illusions move very quickly, you need to rest urgently, otherwise there may be negative consequences for your health.

Author of the article: Guardian

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