Research clearly demonstrates that ME/CFS is a biological illness, and it is not caused by being unfit or mental health problems.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a physical disorder, not a psychological illness, panel says.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long term (chronic) neurological condition that affects the nervous and immune systems. People with ME/CFS experience severe pain and fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise (PEM).
It is possible that ME/CFS is caused by a change in the person's immune system and the way it responds to infection or stress. ME/CFS shares some features of autoimmune illnesses (diseases in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues in own body, like in rheumatoid arthritis).
Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more lifestyle issues, such as poor sleep habits or lack of exercise. Fatigue can be caused by a medicine or linked to depression. Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of an illness that needs treatment.
The Royal Commission will consider all disabilities including those within the above definition. ME/CFS falls across a number of the terms above, so it is considered a disability for the purposes of the Royal Commission's inquiries.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
ME/CFS may have symptoms that don't happen with depression, like a frequent sore throat, weakness, and swollen or tender lymph nodes. Pain is more common with CFS than depression. ME/CFS symptoms like severe fatigue often start or get worse after physical activity, so it could help to cut back on exercise.
Be sure to exercise at least four hours before going to bed, as exercise can also act as a stimulant and create restless sleep. Incorporate deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, meditation, yoga and muscle relaxation techniques into your daily routine as they can help manage symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Most people with ME/CFS have trouble thinking quickly, remembering things, and paying attention to details. Patients often say they have “brain fog” to describe this problem because they feel “stuck in a fog” and not able to think clearly.
Some people develop ME/CFS symptoms after getting better from a viral or bacterial infection. Physical or emotional trauma. Some people report that they experienced an injury, surgery or significant emotional stress shortly before their symptoms began.
Researchers developed a blood test that, in a pilot study, accurately identified people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. If validated in larger studies, the assay could one day help diagnose the disease and enable researchers to test potential treatments.
There's no simple blood test or X-ray to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome – also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Alan Light's ME/CFS/MS study suggests that people with MS may be more fatigued than people with ME/CFS, but experience much less post-exertional malaise. MS is known to be one of the most fatiguing diseases but ME/CFS is significantly more impairing.
Anecdotal evidence suggests many people with ME/CFS are rejected from the NDIS or Disability Support Pension (DSP) because their condition was considered temporary and treatable. However, many gain access on appeal.
A doctor should be able to distinguish ME/CFS from other illnesses by doing a thorough medical exam. This includes asking many questions about the patient's health history and current illness and asking about the symptoms to learn how often they occur, how bad they are, and how long they have lasted.
Living with ME/CFS can be difficult. Extreme tiredness and other physical symptoms can make it hard to carry out everyday activities. You may have to make some major lifestyle changes. ME/CFS can also affect your mental and emotional health, and have a negative effect on your self-esteem.
It's unlikely that you'll need an MRI for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome unless your particular set of symptoms is similar to that of a neurological illness that requires evaluation with an MRI. You may also need an MRI at some point to diagnose an injury or a different illness.
CFS diagnosis depends on two criteria: Severity and duration. The severe and chronic tiredness lasts for more than 6 months and other medical conditions have been ruled out.
As in other chronic diseases, ME/CFS evolves through different stages, from asymptomatic predisposition, progressing to a prodromal stage, and then to symptomatic disease.
Anyone can get ME/CFS. While most common in people between 40 and 60 years old, the illness affects children, adolescents, and adults of all ages. Among adults, women are affected more often than men. White persons are diagnosed more than other races and ethnicities.
If the fatigue is associated with chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart rate, or sense of imminent passing out, these are urgent conditions that warrant immediate medical attention.
Recovery from the symptoms
Studies have shown that, on average, 5% of individuals suffering from CFS make a full recovery and almost 40% improve over time. Around 8% to 30% of sufferers find their condition improves enough for them to be able to return to the workplace.
The findings show that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have decreased activation of an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia in response to reward. Additionally, the extent of this lowered activation was associated with each patient's measured level of fatigue.