Misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Alternative diagnoses list for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
For a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
the following list of conditions
have been mentioned in sources
as possible alternative diagnoses
to consider during the diagnostic process for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Diseases for which Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be an alternative diagnosis
The other diseases for which Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
is listed as a possible alternative
diagnosis in their lists include:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Hidden Causes Misdiagnosed?
Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may include these medical conditions:
Rare Types of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
- Musculoskeletal chronic fatigue syndrome
- Infectious chronic fatigue syndrome
- Neurological chronic fatigue syndrome
- Post-ADD chronic fatigue syndrome
- Post-viral CFS
- CFS subtype 1 (cognitive, musculoskeletal, sleep, anxiety/depression)
- CFS subtype 2 (musculoskeletal, pain, anxiety/depression)
- CFS subtype 3 (mild)
- CFS subtype 4 (cognitive)
- CFS subtype 5 (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal)
- CFS subtype 6 (postexertional)
- CFS subtype 7 (pain, infectious, musculoskeletal, sleep, neurological, gastrointestinal, neurocognitive, anxiety/depression)
- More rare types »
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Medical Mistakes
Related medical mistakes may include:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Undiagnosed Conditions
Commonly undiagnosed conditions in related areas may include:
Common Misdiagnoses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of
medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present
in a variety of different severities.
Diseases in this group include multiple sclerosis, lupus, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia,
thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism),
chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes - all of these can have vague symptoms in their early presentations.
Also, depression can have some symptoms similar to these conditions, and also the reverse,
that many of these conditions can mimic depression and be misdiagnosed as depression.
RLS sleep disorder causing night-time leg sensations often misdiagnosed: A common but relatively unknown
sleep-related disorder called Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is often misdiagnosed.
The typical symptoms are night-time tingling, crawling, or burning sensations in the legs,
with the irresistable urge to move the legs.
This need for leg movement leads to tossing and turning, or getting up out of bed,
all of which interferes with the ability to fall asleep.
The sufferer then has the typical symptoms of sleep deprivation during the day: fatigue, tiredness,
morning headaches, irritability, poor concentration and so on.
This condition is sometimes misdiagnosed as other conditions
such as ADHD, sleep disorders, other causes of insomnia, or other causes of leg tingling.
Many patients also suffer from a related disorder called
Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), which causes leg spasms
or other jerky movements.
See introduction to RLS or introduction to PLMD.
Pituitary conditions often undiagnosed cause of symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms
that can be caused by a pituitary disorder (see symptoms of pituitary disorders).
For example, fatigue, headache, weight gain, diabetes-like symptoms, and various other symptoms.
Pituitary tumors and other similar conditions are not as rare as physicians tend to believe.
See introduction to pituitary conditions.
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency
is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis).
See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency or misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Failure To Diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Failure to diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be associated with the following:
- Some health professionals believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is a psychological condition because there are often no physical findings that can support the symptoms experienced. There is no test that can be used to conclusively diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome and it is usually the diagnosis given to a patient who has no other detectable cause for their symptoms such as fatigue
- Chronic fatigue syndrome may be harder to diagnose in children and adolescents as they tend to present with symptoms such as anger, aggression, low self-esteem, behavioural problems and suicidal attitudes. Adults are more likely to present with depressive and fatigue symptoms. In fact, many people are unaware that children can suffer from CFS
- CFS is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed because its symptoms mimic those of so many other conditions ranging from infections and cancer to gastrointestinal disorders and psychiatric illnesses
- The parents of a female teenager suffering from tiredness, sore bones and inability to think clearly may dismiss her symptoms as being caused by too many activities, menstrual problems, lack of vitamins and minerals or just a normal adjustment to hormonal changes associated with puberty. Thus children are often unable to take charge of their own health matters and parents are usually not familiar with CFS and hence don't even consider it when their child complains of symptoms. Many children are misdiagnosed with emotional or adjustment problems which often makes further investigations into the child's health unlikely. Children are often unable to explain their symptoms accurately and their symptoms can vary regularly which can make diagnosis more difficult. Sometimes children don't want to admit to their symptoms as they are embarrassed about them or feel somehow inferior. Yet other children with CFS have their low functioning level considered normal for them - especially since CFS symptoms tend to develop more slowly in children than adults.
- Many patients feel intimidated by doctors and specialists and will not assert themselves if they feel they have not been diagnosed correctly
- People who have a history of depression may have their CFS symptoms ignored or dismissed as being related to depression
Notes On Wrong Diagnosis Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Wrong diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may be associated with the following:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome is often diagnosed by excluding all other possible causes of symptoms which makes it a highly misdiagnosed condition. Diagnosis if further complicated by the fact that some conditions with similar symptoms such as fibromyalgia also have no diagnostic tests. Even to go through and exclude all the possible differential diagnoses can prove very costly and time-consuming and may still not shed much light on the condition
- Symptoms such as muscle pain fatigue and mild depression may be caused by chronic fatigue syndrome or phosphate diabetes
- Many CFS sufferers have signs of major depression or have experienced bouts of major depression which makes it a condition that is often misdiagnosed simply as depression and treated as such
- Chronic fatigue may be caused by chronic fatigue syndrome as well as a multitude of other conditions including sleep disorders, fibromyalgia, vitamin deficiencies, depression and hypothyroidism. However, some patients suffering from chronic fatigue are being misdiagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome when there is another underlying cause of their fatigue such as a sleep disorder or a viral infection
- Certain drugs such as lithium and recreational drugs may be an underlying cause of chronic fatigue
Medical news summaries about misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
The following medical news items
are relevant to misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
General Misdiagnosis Articles
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
About misdiagnosis:
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
or confirming a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
it is useful to consider what other
medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative
conditions relevant to diagnosis.
These alternate diagnoses of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may already have
been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible
alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases,
see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
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