Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is usually characterized by a prolonged bout of fatigue accompanied by a wide range of other symptoms. The condition can affect individuals of any age but is more common between the ages of 25 and 45, with females usually affected more than males.

An adult is diagnosed with CFS if, for at least four months, they have had chronic fatigue but with no obvious other medical issue causing the condition. The main symptoms associated with CFS include sore throat, muscle pain, lack of concentration, joint pain, headaches, and fitful sleep. Some other symptoms that can also occur are abdominal pain, bloating, cough, chest pain, earache, jaw pain, stiffness, diarrhea, weight loss, nausea and night sweats.

As a rule, the symptoms of CFS are not improved by taking bed rest and conversely may be made worse by some physical or mental activities. As it is unknown what actually causes the condition, it is very difficult to prevent; it is not, though, a contagious condition. Some causes that are thought to contribute to CFS include having had a viral infection of some description, depression, stress or a life changing event such as loss of employment or bereavement.

The prevalence of fatigue states

Following on from this, there are no specific treatments’ for the condition either, but medication can be prescribed for the associated symptoms, for example, taking painkillers for headaches.

A sore or hole in the lining of an organ is known as an ulcer.  A stomach ulcer is known as a gastric ulcer while a duodenal ulcer is an ulcer in the duodenum which is part of the small intestine. Duodenal ulcers occur more frequently in men and usually between the ages of 20-45, while stomach ulcers occur more often than not in people over the age of 50.

The stomach is protected from acid by a lining of mucus but if the lining is damaged then the acid can come into contact with the stomach or intestine wall, causing an ulcer.

Symptoms of an ulcer include abdominal pain, feeling sick after eating, loss of appetite, weight loss, or difficulty swallowing.  More serious symptoms include black or tar like stools, severe stomach pain, or vomiting blood.

Stomach Ulcers

Ulcers can be caused by bacteria known as Helicobacter Pylori and also use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin.  Other causes of ulcers are smoking and drinking alcohol and it is also thought to run in some families.  Stress can aggravate an ulcer as it causes the stomach to produce more acid.

Diagnosis of an ulcer is confirmed through a procedure known as an endoscopy.  This is done in a hospital and it involves a thin tube being passed down to the stomach through the mouth and gullet.  This can show the doctor whether an ulcer is present.

Treatment of an ulcer depends on whether the cause was a bacterium or by using NSAIDs. Proton pump inhibitors are prescribed for ulcers which have not been caused by the H pylori bacteria and they work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach.  For ulcers caused by H pylori bacteria, treatment is usually a combination of proton pump inhibitors and two antibiotics.

Skin Ulcers

Hay fever can be described as an allergy caused by pollen. Pollen is the very fine powdery substance created by plants for the use in pollination, or fertilization. In its most common guise, hay fever is the allergy caused by grass or hay pollens and usually occurs from late spring until early summer.

Usual symptoms of the condition include a runny nose, sneezing, and streaming, itchy eyes. The symptoms are caused due to the body’s immune system reacting to the pollen. Cells which line the nose and eyes tend to release chemicals such as histamines when they come into contact with the pollen, and this causes the inflammation in the eyes and nose which produce the symptoms.

Hay Fever

Hay fever is a very common allergy and affects almost two in every ten people in western society. It usually develops in children of school age and teenage years and the symptoms reappear year after year. Eventually, the symptoms start to decrease over the course of many years, until the condition either disappears totally, or improves vastly. The condition usually runs in families and an individual is more likely to develop asthma or eczema if they already suffer from hay fever.

Although it’s impossible to avoid pollen totally, symptoms are less severe if exposure is reduced. Nowadays pollen counts are freely available for all regions via TV, radio and the internet. Sufferers of the condition are normally treated with antihistamine tablets, antihistamine nose sprays, steroidal nose sprays and eye drops.