Med Hypotheses. 2003 Jun; 60(6): 840-2.

Chronic fatigue syndrome - medical fact or artifact.

Eidelman D.

, Ramat Hasharon, Israel

Despite extensive investigation, the enigma of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) continues to confound medical researchers. It is suggested that this may be due to two impediments inherent in their overall approach to the problem. Firstly, although fatigue is central to CFS, medical scientists appear not to understand what fatigue itself really is, nor what is its purpose or mode of function. A functional definition of fatigue is suggested to help resolve this. Secondly, physicians and other researchers - psychologists and alternative medicine practitioners - fail to observe an elementary and fundamental procedure of clinical medicine, namely, that of properly examining their patients before making a diagnosis or providing treatment. The notion of the 'black hole' of medicine is introduced. Recognizing the existence of these impediments is considered a self-evident precondition for further significant progress being made in this field.