This means having flu-like symptoms after exercise and not having enough energy for daily activities. The main feature of ME/CFS is a type of exhaustion known as post-exertional malaise, ‘crash’ or ‘payback’. Another 25 per cent will experience severe ME/CFS and have to stay at home or in bed. About 50 per cent will have a moderate to severe form of ME/CFS and not be able to get to school or work. An individual management plan must be developed for each person with ME/CFS.Īround 25 per cent of people with ME/CFS will have a mild form and be able to get to school or work either part-time or fulltime, while reducing other activities. Applying a particular treatment for one subtype can be very damaging to another subtype. In other people, ME/CFS may develop slowly over months or years.There are many subtypes within the spectrum of ME/CFS, which means that a management plan must be developed for each person with the condition. For some people, the condition may be triggered suddenly by a viral infection, toxic exposure, anaesthetic, immunisation, gastroenteritis or trauma. ME/CFS is a complex illness and we do not know the cause. The term ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’ means pain in the muscles, and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. It can occur at any age and can affect children as well as adults. A GP should also be able to refer you to a ME/CFS specialist if they think it would help you.Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is an illness that affects a person’s nervous system (commonly called a ‘neurological illness’). If you think you may have ME/CFS it's important to see a GP to make sure you get a correct diagnosis. The symptoms of ME/CFS are similar to those of other conditions. There may be times when your symptoms get worse. very severe – you may have to spend all your time in bed resting and are fully dependent on carers you may need help eating, washing and going to the toilet you may be extremely sensitive to light and noise you may be unable to swallow and need to be fed using a tube.severe – you may only be able to do very basic daily tasks, such as brushing your teeth you may be housebound or even bedbound and may need a wheelchair to get around and you may also have difficulty concentrating, be sensitive to noise and light, and take a long time to recover after activities involving extra effort, such as leaving the house or talking for long periods.moderate – you may have difficulty moving around easily and problems carrying out daily activities you may not be able to work or continue with your education and may need to rest often and you may also have problems sleeping at night.mild – you're able to carry out everyday activities, such as work, studies or housework, but with difficulty you may need to give up hobbies or social activities so you can rest in your spare time.If your symptoms are severe, a specialist should be involved in your treatment. Most cases of ME/CFS are mild or moderate, but 1 in 4 people have severe symptoms. fast or irregular heartbeats ( heart palpitations).a sore throat or sore glands that are not swollen.
These problems are sometimes described "brain fog".
problems remembering certain words, names or numbers.If you have ME/CFS, it's also common to have: Problems with thinking, memory and concentration you feel very tired and sleepy during the day.you feel stiff, tired or have flu-like symptoms when waking up.you do not feel refreshed after sleeping – like you have not had a proper good night's rest.
Many people with ME/CFS also have problems with their sleep. Sometimes the effect is delayed and you'll feel very tired a few hours after you've exercised, or even the next day. Most people with ME/CFS describe their fatigue as overwhelming and a different type of tiredness from what they've experienced before.Įxercising usually makes the symptoms worse. This can make it difficult to carry out everyday tasks and activities. The main symptom of ME/CFS is extreme physical and mental tiredness (fatigue) that does not go away with rest or sleep. Symptoms vary from person to person, and the severity of symptoms can vary from day to day, or even within a day. The main symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), is feeling extremely tired and generally unwell.