Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Facts: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is
A Serious Disease Center For Disease Control (CDC) studies indicate that chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients as a group have disability rates similar to people with multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and other serious diseases.
Fairly Common. The Centers For Disease Control estimates from 1-4 million people in the U.S. have chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Greatly Under Diagnosed. The Centers for Disease Control estimates approximately 80% of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) cases in the U.S. go undiagnosed.
Costly. The average annual costs per family, including financial losses due to unemployment, are about $25,000 a year. Overall chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is believed to cost the US economy at least $25 billion dollars a year and perhaps much more.
Currently Defined Using Symptoms and by ruling out other diseases. Besides exhaustion or fatigue chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients must display a distinct set of symptoms in order to have CFS.
Complex. Research studies indicate chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) affects many different systems across the body.
A Chronic Disorder. While some patients do recover, there is no cure for CFS, and many remain ill.
Poorly Studied. Despite its prevalence, severity and high economic costs chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) ranks near the bottom in funding of the over 200 diseases and conditions the NIH funds research into.
The Phoenix Rising website is compiled by a layman. It is not a substitute for a physician and is for informational uses only. Please discuss any treatments in these pages with your physician.
