THE CHRONICALLY FATIGUED PATIENT

Chronic fatigue is a common complaint, accounting for over 7 million office visits per year. This article reviews the diagnostic evaluation of the patient presenting to the primary tare clinician with chronic fatigue. Many patients with this complaint suffer from an organic medical illness or a psychiatric illness. Other patients fit the diagnostic criteria for the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Although the cause of CFS is still unknown, the clinician can provide significant symptomatic improvement to patients with this syndrome in an environment that is respectful of their physical and psychological discomfort.