People experiencing fatigue may feel tired, lethargic, sleep or just lacking in energy. Fatigue is different from drowsiness, as it doesn't go away, even with more rest. Fatigue (physical fatigue or mental fatigue) is a common occurrence and complicated by the fact that fatigue is a normal healthy response to physical exertion or emotional stress. Fatigue could be the result of working, mental stress, over-stimulation and under-stimulation, depression and often boredom, disease or lack of sleep. 

Do you hate it when people think you are just Lazy? and tell you just to 'get over it'. If only it was that easy...

Normal fatigue may begin to become abnormal fatigue if it becomes chronic or continues for a prolonged period of time. More long term and sever symptoms of fatigue are often referred to as prolonged fatigue or Chronic fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and may occur with other symptoms such as recurrent sore throats, muscle pain, multi-joint pain, tender lymph nodes, new patterns of headaches and complaints of impaired memory or concentration. Although classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) under Diseases of the Nervous System, the cause of CFS is not known and no specific diagnostic tests are available. In an effort to resolve the debate of how best to define CFS, a panel of CFS experts in 1994 developed a two part criteria that patients had to meet to be diagnosed with CFS.

We have just updated out Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in our conditions library. To find out more valuable information about the Chronic Fatigue diagnosis criteria, Chronic Fatigue symptoms and treatment go to our Chronic Fatigue treatment page or visit our general fatigue treatment page. We have information about fatigue treatment, symptoms and for support by our Chronic Fatigue Specialist.