Chapter One, Course WB1032
Recognition and Diagnosis
Recognition and diagnosis of CFS can be challenging for health care professionals. Fatigue is a common symptom of many illnesses; between 10 and 25% of all patients who visit general practitioners complain of prolonged fatigue (Cullen et al., 2002). Symptoms that comprise CFS are common in other conditions. Diagnosis of CFS can be made only after a thorough physical and mental status exam and appropriate laboratory testing to rule out diseases for which specific treatment exists and that may be responsible for the patient’s symptoms.
Health care professionals from multiple disciplines may encounter CFS patients at any point in the evaluation and management process. Primary care professionals are often the first to be consulted by people seeking a diagnosis and relief from their multiple, ongoing symptoms. Rehabilitation and behavioral professionals may see CFS patients seeking evaluation and treatment of pain disorders, poor physical function and mental health concerns. These patients may also seek care to help them cope with interpersonal and lifestyle changes, decreased stamina or employment problems stemming from poor health (whether diagnosed or not). In addition, CFS patients may have mood symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, for which they seek evaluation and treatment from health care professionals.
Content Source: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)