What is Myalgic Encephalitis?

Myalgic encephalitis (ME) is a disease or syndrome of unknown origin causing fatigue and muscle pain for more than six months. It is also known by names like chronic fatigue syndrome and often becomes chronic, with patients never fully recovering from an initial bout of myalgic encephalitis. This condition can be disabling in nature, causing mobility impairments, as well as cognitive issues like difficulty with thinking and reasoning.

In the medical community, there is some dispute about whether myalgic encephalitis is a single disease or a syndrome, a constellation of interrelated medical issues. A number of theories have been developed to explain this condition, with most involving a belief that the patient's immune system becomes compromised, allowing dormant viral infections to develop and causing the patient to experience muscle pain, fatigue, and other symptoms of ME.

Patients with this condition can develop a variety of symptoms, including nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Many, in addition to experiencing fatigue, also have what patients refer to as “brain fog,” where the thinking can be cluttered and unfocused. These symptoms can also be seen with fibromyalgia, a possibly related condition, and sometimes patients are mistakenly diagnosed with fibromyalgia when they have myalgic encephalitis, or vice versa. Both conditions tend to be more common in women.

There is no definitive test for this disease. When a patient presents with the symptoms, elimination testing is used to explore possible causes and determine if they are ruled in or out in the patient's case. If the results of this testing are all negative and the patient interview indicates a persistence of consistent symptoms for more than six months, a diagnosis of myalgic encephalitis may be made. Many patients report developing a flu or other illness before the onset of symptoms, and this can be taken into consideration as well.

Treatment is focused on management of the symptoms. Patients may require pain management, as well as accommodations to address their fatigue. Low energy levels can be managed with careful planning, allowing patients to budget energy for various activities. Some patients find it helpful to work with a counselor or therapist to develop coping strategies, especially if they were highly active professionals before the development of symptoms, as they may have trouble adjusting to the lifestyle changes associated with myalgic encephalitis. With rest, some patients experience a reduction in the severity of symptoms, while others may not experience a change in their condition.