Me/cfs is much more than fatigue

The syndrome of encephalitis / chronic fatigue (ME / CFS) is as convoluted as its name is challenging to pronounce. Sometimes it is simply called “chronic fatigue”, but it is only one of its symptoms.

In fact, ME/CFS is convoluted neurological diseaseRecognized by the World Health Organization, which affects almost every system in the body.

The name refers to muscle pain (muscle muscle), encephalitis (encephalitis) and deep, disabled fatigue that cannot be alleviated.

However, the complexity of the disease – and its disproportionate effect on women – means that I/CFS was often incorrectly marked as A Psychological disorder.

What is I/CFS?

ME/CFS affect people of all ages, but most often diagnosed in middle -aged. There are two to three times more common in women than men.

Although the exact cause is unknown, ME/CFS is widely caused by infection.

The condition has two basic symptoms: disabled, long -lasting fatigue, which does not soothe, and deterioration of symptoms after physical or mental effort.

This is known as Umucznik after exercise. This means Even a slight effort can worsen the symptoms and will last much longer than expected.

This is different between people, but it can mean a regular shower or participation in a social event causes worse symptoms directly or days later.

These symptoms include pain, sleep problems, cognitive difficulties (such as thinking, memory and decision making), flu symptoms, dizziness, gastrointestinal problems, heart rate fluctuations and many others.

For some peopleSymptoms can be managed in a way that allows them to work. For others, the disease is so earnest that he can leave them at home or coil of the bed.

Symptoms can change, changing during time and intensity, which makes me/CFS a particularly unpredictable and misunderstood state.

Not only “in your head”

The growing collection of scientific evidence clearly shows, however, that ME/CFS is a biological, not a mental disease.

Neuroimaging tests They revealed differences in brain activity and the structure of people from ME/CFS, including impoverished blood flow and lower levels of neurotransmitters (chemical relays in the nervous system).

Other studies indicate that the condition affects how the body produces energy (metabolism), fights infection ( immune system), provides oxygen to muscles and tissues and regulates blood pressure and heart rate (Vascular system).

Criteria problems

To diagnose ME/CFS, the clinician will also hatch other possible causes of fatigue that can be a long process. The patient must meet a set of clinical criteria.

But one of the main challenges in the ME/CFS study is that diagnostic criteria are using different worldwide.

Certain criteria Focus only on fatigue And they include people with alternating causes of fatigue, such as a mental disorder.

Others are narrow and can only grab patients from ME/CFS more serious symptoms.

As a result, it can be very challenging for comparison In various studies, because the reasons why they include or exclude participants are so different.

Changes in the guidelines

In Australia, doctors often receive Little formal education About me/cfs.

Most often they follow the clinical guidelines of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners diagnose AND manage JA/CFS. They are based on Canadian consensus criteria which are considered more stringent than any other diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS.

They include after the release of malaise and fatigue for over six months as basic symptoms.

However, these guidelines They are antiquated and rely largely Controversial research This assumed that the main cause of ME/CFS was “decondication” – loss of physical strength due to fear or avoiding exercises.

These guidelines recommend me/cfs should be treated Thanks to cognitive behavioral therapy – common psychotherapy that focuses on changing unhealthy thoughts and behaviors – and graduated exercise therapy, which gradually introduces more demanding physical activity.

While cognitive behavioral therapy It can be effective For some managers of ME/CFS, it is crucial not to develop this condition primarily as a psychological problem.

The therapy of rating exercises can encourage people to push “energy envelopes”, which means that they do more than their body. This can cause malaise after the release of deterioration of symptoms.

In June 2024 Australia’s government was announced $ 1.1 million for the development of up-to-date clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS.

Leading organizations have scrapped the recommendation of graded exercise therapy in the United States (in 2015) and Great Britain (in 2021). I hope Australia will follow in their footsteps.

What can people do with me/CFS?

While we are waiting for updated clinical guidelines, “stimulation” or work in an energy envelope – he showed some successes in Management of symptoms. This means monitoring and limiting how much energy you operate.

Some evidence also suggests people who rest at the early stages of their initial illness, often experience Better long -term results with me/cfs.

This is particularly crucial after Covid’s pandemic and with the appearance of a long Covid. The research indicates more than half of the people affected by the meeting Surne clinical criteria for me/CFS.

In a time of acute disease, we should resist the temptation to push. Choosing a rest can be a key step in preventing is which is much more devastating than the original infection.