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With No Known Cause Or Cure, Here's What We Know About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

While its cause and effective treatment remain a mystery, doctors continue to learn more about this troubling disease — and ways to help those who suffer from it.

By Stephen C. George; Medically Reviewed by Dr. Ahmad Talha Azam
Apr 1, 2024 1:00 PMApr 10, 2024 10:25 PM
Low battery symbol drawn on human hand. Tired woman lying on the bed, trying to charge from USB, holding cable with your finger. Overwork, exhausted, chronic fatigue, living energy concept.
(Credit: DimaBerlin/Shutterstock)

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Content Warning: Brief Mention of Suicide


No one knows the cause of this ailment. Currently, no lab results can conclusively test for it. There is no approved treatment — let alone any kind of cure — for this health problem.

Some doctors actually refuse to believe that the condition exists. But those doctors are wrong. In fact, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently estimates that more than 3 million Americans suffer from the problem.

As medical mysteries go, it’s hard to find a more puzzling condition than chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers continue to strive to discover its causes and effective treatments. Here’s what the science says about the illness.

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