Many Taiwanese are unaware of the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, a Taichung doctor said ahead of International Workers’ Day tomorrow, urging a stronger focus on the condition.
Taiwanese work an average of 2,000 hours annually, which ranks fourth among countries worldwide, Dajia Lee’s General Hospital physician Lu Ching-yuen (呂清元) said, adding that overwork is a risk factor for the condition.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, causes extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months. Symptoms worsen with physical or mental activity, and do not fully improve with rest.
Photo: CNA
People experiencing insomnia, fatigue, severe headaches, loss of memory, trouble concentrating, lasting muscle pain or a sore throat might have the condition, Lu said, urging them to see a doctor, especially if the symptoms have lasted for several months.
Through appropriate exercise, a balanced diet and medication, the symptoms can gradually improve, he said.
Among the people he treated for the condition was a woman whose job required her to stare at a computer screen all day and who takes care of her children after work, Lu said.
After following this routine for a long time, she developed fatigue, muscle aches and insomnia, and only sought help after having those symptoms for a year, he said.
After tests showed that her hemoglobin and blood sugar levels, and thyroid and immune functions were normal, the woman was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, he said.
The condition improved after she started taking medication and changed her diet, he said.
“For most patients, chronic fatigue syndrome is related to stress at work, such as excessive pressure and an irregular schedule over a long time,” he said. “If long-term physical and mental fatigue is not taken care of, it can have adverse effects on the body, and it might turn from mild fatigue to serious symptoms.”
If someone has the typical symptoms and tests have ruled out anemia, chronic liver disease or chronic kidney disease as reasons, they should be checked for chronic fatigue syndrome, he said.
“Exercise can also help, but it should be moderate exercise that brings pleasure and does not exacerbate the sense of fatigue,” he said.
Medication that is used to treat the condition includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, anxiety medication and antihistamines, he said.
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