Chronic fatigue syndrome is a term used to describe a group of symptoms, with fatigue being the most prominent. Other key symptoms include muscle and joint pain, sleep disturbances, headaches, sore throat, and tender lymph nodes. According to the CDC, these symptoms can be as disabling as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, end-stage renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and similar chronic conditions.
Fatigue also is frequently a symptom of conditions that are distinct from chronic fatigue syndrome but are often associated with it -- including some autoimmune disorders and fibromyalgia.