Despite substantial efforts by researchers to better understand ME/CFS, there is no known cause or effective treatment. ME/CFS can cause significant impairment and disability. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are serious, debilitating conditions that affect millions of people in the United States and around the world.

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Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.Help Ordering Information New Releases Browse by Division Browse by Topic.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Contact a local university medical school, research center, or one of the resources listed below for help finding a doctor who treats people with ME/CFS.ДЇor more information on ME/CFS, call the OWH Helpline at 1-80 or contact the following organizations: Federal Government If disbelief or doubts continue, consider seeing another doctor for aВ second opinion. If you feel your doctor has doubts about it being a 'real' illness, share this document and the links to resources found at the end. Your doctor may also need to learn more about ME/CFS to help you. While these tests are being done, talk to your doctor about ways to ease your symptoms. It is usually best to develop a relationship - and follow up often - with one doctor so that he or she can get to know you and see how you respond to treatment over time. The process to make a final diagnosis of ME/CFS can take a long time, so try to be patient.

You and your doctor cannot find another explanation for your symptoms.

You have had the extreme fatigue and other symptoms for 6 months or longer (3 months or longer for children and adolescents) AND.

You have the main symptoms of ME/CFS, including extreme fatigue or exhaustion that does not go away and that prevents you from doing the things you want and need to do for you and your family exhaustion that comes after mental or physical exercise sleep problems and pain AND.

Order tests that check for problems found in people with ME/CFS.

Order lab tests based on your symptoms, such as urine and blood tests, which will tell your doctor if something other than ME/CFS might be causing your symptoms.Ask you about your physical and mental health.If you think you may have ME/CFS, see your doctor. There are no standard lab tests to diagnose ME/CFS. If you think you may have ME/CFS, talk to your doctor.Д«ecause many symptoms of ME/CFS are also symptoms of other illnesses or side effects of medicine, your doctor will need to do physical exams and tests to help determine if you have ME/CFS. Most symptoms are invisible to others, which can make it hard for friends, family members, and the public to understand the challenges a person with ME/CFS faces.

Symptoms of ME/CFS vary widely from person to person and may be serious or mild. Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in the face, hands, or feet.Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, medications, and sound.Low grade fever or low body temperature.Psychological symptoms (irritability, mood swings, panic attacks, anxiety).

Visual problems (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain).

Sore throat that is constant or goes away and comes back often.

Tender lymph nodes in the neck or under the arm.

Headaches of a new type, pattern, or strength.

Pain or aches in joints without swelling or redness.

Feeling dizzy or faint when sitting up or standing (due to a drop in blood pressure).

Having a hard time concentrating, or problems with attention and memory.

Not feeling refreshed after sleeping, or having trouble sleeping.

Feeling extremely exhausted for more than 24 hours after physical or mental exercise.

At first, one may feel like she has the flu.

The symptoms of ME/CFS can come and go or a person may have these symptoms all of the time.

What is a cfs