Pacing and rest are two self-management strategies commonly used with ME/CFS. The main goal of pacing is to reduce the intensity and frequency of PEM by limiting activity to the energy available. A key component of pacing is rest.
Modest exercise reduces fatigue and improves functioning and fitness in up to 75 percent of people with CFS. It's important to exercise within your limits. Begin with as little as 5 minutes of light to moderate exercise a day. Then slowly increase how long and how hard you 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.
Eating a healthy diet, and using herbs and homeopathic remedies as recommended, may help reduce the debilitating symptoms of CFS, and may improve overall energy. Counseling, support groups, meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation are stress management techniques that may help as well.
This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). People with ME/CFS often describe this experience as a “crash,” “relapse,” or “collapse.” During PEM, any ME/CFS symptoms may get worse or first appear, including difficulty thinking, problems sleeping, sore throat, headaches, feeling dizzy, or severe tiredness.
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say doctors should consider diagnosing ME/CFS if a patient has extreme tiredness that cannot be explained by other causes and the tiredness: started recently, has lasted a long time, or keeps coming back.
Diagnosing ME/CFS
There is not a specific test for ME/CFS, so it's diagnosed based on your symptoms and by ruling out other conditions that could be causing your symptoms. The GP will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may also have blood and urine tests.
Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
The main symptom of ME/CFS is extreme physical and mental tiredness (fatigue) that does not go away with rest or sleep. This can make it difficult to carry out everyday tasks and activities.
People with ME/CFS have severe fatigue and sleep problems. ME/CFS may get worse after people with the illness try to do as much as they want or need to do. This symptom is called post-exertional malaise (PEM). Other symptoms can include problems with thinking and concentrating, pain, and dizziness.
One study suggests that the average lifespan of an ME/CFS patient is only 55.9 years, which is over 20 years less than the average U.S. lifespan. And the vast majority of patients—75 to 85 percent—are women.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, is a complex, debilitating, long-term medical condition. The root cause(s) of the disease are unknown and the mechanisms are not fully understood.
One possible reason for feeling tired, anxious, and weak is having low levels of iron, vitamin D, or B12. Many experts believe that a significant percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D.
For most people, ME/CFS is a lifelong disease. Full recovery (a return to pre-illness functioning) is rare and estimated at less than 10%. For some people with ME/CFS, as time passes and their disease improves, they will find they can do more, but it is a slow and gradual process.
Most people with ME/CFS improve over time, although some people don't make a full recovery. It's also likely there will be periods when symptoms get better or worse. Children and young people with ME/CFS are more likely to recover fully.
It is not uncommon for CFS patients to sleep for periods of 12 hours or longer. But even if they sleep for this long, they still don't feel refreshed. Some have headaches when they wake up. For many people with CFS, it can help if they sleep in and nap during the day.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a physical disorder, not a psychological illness, panel says.
If your medical provider suspects you may have CFS, they will refer you to a specialist (a rheumatologist) who can review your medical history, blood tests and urine samples. The rheumatologist will confirm the correct diagnosis.
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.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complicated disorder. It causes extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months. Symptoms worsen with physical or mental activity but don't fully improve with rest.
Don't say: We all get tired
"They will say, 'Oh yeah we all get tired,' or, 'Come on it's just half an hour, you'll be fine,'" she says. "It's frustrating having to justify things the whole time and sometimes it can be quite upsetting. "It's not intended to hurt, it's just thoughtlessness."