Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and Geography of Antarctica: Difference between pages

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<b>Location:</b>
In strict medical terms, the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) refers only to a pattern of symptoms (see below). It can't be called a disease because there's no medical test that can link all cases (like the HIV test does in AIDS). But many people believe CFS is one illness because so many cases are so similar.
continent mostly south of the [[Antarctic Circle]]
<p><b>Geographic coordinates:</b>
90 00 S, 0 00 E
<p><b>Map references:</b>
Antarctic Region
<p><b>Area:</b>
<br><i>total:</i>
14 million sq km
<br><i>land:</i>
14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)
<br><i>note:</i>
fifth-largest continent, following [[Asia]], [[Africa]], [[North America]], and [[South America]], but larger than [[Australia]] and the subcontinent of [[Europe]]
<p><b>Land boundaries:</b>
0 km
<br><i>note:</i>
see entry on International disputes
<p><b>Coastline:</b>
17,968 km
<p><b>Maritime claims:</b>
none, but see the Disputes - international entry
<p><b>Climate:</b>
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
<p><b>Terrain:</b>
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern [[Victoria Land]], [[Wilkes Land]], the [[Antarctic Peninsula]] area, and parts of [[Ross Island]] on [[McMurdo Sound]]; [[glacier]]s form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
<p><b>Elevation extremes:</b>
<br><i>lowest point:</i>
Southern Ocean 0 m
<br><i>highest point:</i>
[[Vinson Massif]] 5,140 m
<p><b>Natural resources:</b>
none presently exploited; [[iron]] ore, [[chromium]], [[copper]], [[gold]], [[nickel]], [[platinum]] and other minerals, and [[coal]] and [[hydrocarbons]] have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
<p><b>Land use:</b>
<br><i>arable land:</i>
0%
<br><i>permanent crops:</i>
0%
<br><i>permanent pastures:</i>
0%
<br><i>forests and woodland:</i>
0%
<br><i>other:</i>
100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)
<p><b>Irrigated land:</b>
0 sq km (1993)
<p><b>Natural hazards:</b>
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on [[Deception Island]] and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
<p><b>Environment - current issues:</b>
in 1998, [[NASA]] satellite data showed that the antarctic [[ozone hole]] was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the [[DNA]] of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants
<p><b>Geography - note:</b>
the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the [[South Pole]] than is received at the [[Equator]] in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable


:''See also :'' [[Antarctica]]
[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Symptoms|/Symptoms]]

There are four main categories of symptoms in CFS:

*Fatigue: People with CFS experience profound, overwhelming exhaustion, which gets worse after exertion and can never be fully relieved by sleep.

*Pain: Pain in CFS includes muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, stomachaches, lymph node pain, and sore throats.

*Cognitive Problems and Neurological Problems:

**Cognitive Problems: People with CFS have trouble remembering words, names, and places, find it hard to concentrate, and have trouble thinking straight.

**Neurological problems include dizziness and light-headedness, especially when standing up quickly.

*Sensitivies: People with CFS tend to be sensitive to light, sound, and some chemicals and foods.

[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Long|/Long]]_term_course

Some cases of CFS start gradually, but the majority start suddenly, often triggered by the flu or some other illness. People with CFS may get better after a few years or many years or may not get better at all. No one is sure whether anybody is truly cured or whether their illness has just subsided enough for them to live a more normal life.

[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Activity|/Activity]]_levels

Some people are more limited than others. The sickest are housebound, while some people are self-reliant, and some are able to work or attend school. Some people with CFS can push themselves to do extraordinary things but feel much worse afterward.

[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Getting|/Getting]]_diagnosed

Diagnosing CFS is very difficult. There is no conclusive test for CFS, so doctors must rely on their experience and intuition. However, some doctors are not familiar with CFS and some refuse to diagnose it. This situation is rapidly changing, with more doctors willing to diagnose it and more diagnoses each year.

[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Demographics|/Demographics]]

Studies estimate that there are between 75 and 420 cases per 100,000 adults in the U.S. This comes to between 200,000 and 1,000,000 adults with CFS. Between 60% and 85% of these people are women. Adolescents and children also get CFS, possibly less often than adults.

[[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Related|/Related]]_illnesses

There are some illnesses so similar to CFS that it is hard to distinguish between them. People with [[Fibromyalgia]] have muscle pain and sleep disturbances. Those with [[Multiple Chemical Sensitivities]] (MCS) are sensitive to chemicals and have sleep disturbances. Many veterans with [[Gulf War Illness]] (GWI) have symptoms almost identical to CFS.

See also: [[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/Day|/Day]]_to_day_patterns, [[Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome/The|/The]]_name

[[talk:Chronic_Fatigue_Syndrome|/Talk]]

Revision as of 02:12, 29 January 2002

Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)
note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe

Land boundaries: 0 km
note: see entry on International disputes

Coastline: 17,968 km

Maritime claims: none, but see the Disputes - international entry

Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Southern Ocean 0 m
highest point: Vinson Massif 5,140 m

Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak

Environment - current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants

Geography - note: the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable

See also : Antarctica