What is M.E.

What is M.E./CFS?
M.E. is an illness. M.E. stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - which is a bit of a mouthful, but basically means muscle ("myalgic") and head ("encephalitic") symptoms.

M.E. is also known as Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS), because it often follows on from a viral infection.

Also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

M.E. is a potentially severe and disabling illness and most commonly affects people between the ages of 20 and 40. The causes are not known.

The disease is known by other names elsewhere in the world; in the US, for instance, it's called Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).

How Does M.E. Start?
Often, M.E. will start after an ordinary viral infection - flu', chicken-pox, sore throats, enlarged glands, joint pains, even a cold.

It is possible for an apparently healthy person to come down with a viral infection, and develop full-blown M.E. immediately.

In other cases, there may be no obvious viral "trigger" at all, and the person may "slide" into the illness over a period of months or even years.

Older people tend to develop M.E. in this way.