MEDICAL MATTERS
- Medical Matters features questions asked by Members of the ME Association on health-related topics.
- Dr Charles Shepherd and the ME Association's other advisers answer these questions by sharing their expert knowledge.
- Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor’ series in ME Essential magazine.
- It is a free resource that supplements the detailed information contained in the full range of literature that can be found in the website shop.
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Questions in the Category: Neuroinflammation
Is ME a post-acute infection syndrome (PAIS)?
I see that ME and Long Covid are now sometimes being referred to as being a post-acute infection syndrome. Why is this?
And following on from this question, one important action in the generally disappointing research section of the DHSC Delivery Plan is to fund research into post-acute infection syndromes. So is this good or bad news for people with ME if we are going to be lumped in together with all kinds of post-infective conditions?
Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Encephalopathy, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Long Covid
Please can you define what PVFS, ME/CFS, and Long Covid mean. I am having difficulty determining if they are the same disease or different. Thank you!
Aetiology: Immune System
I keep seeing references to ‘low level immune system activation’ being an important research finding in ME/CFS. But what does this mean in language that I can understand?
Nomenclature: ME/CFS
Is there a simple reason why the ME Association also uses the term myalgic encephalopathy instead of myalgic encephalomyelitis?
Neuroinflammation
I keep reading about what is called ‘neuroinflammation' in relation to research into ME/CFS. I assume this means inflammation in the nervous system. But is this the same as encephalomyelitis (the E in ME)? I know that encephalomyelitis is largely dismissed by many doctors and is the reason why some doctors refuse to even use the name ME/ myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Dr Charles Shepherd
Dr Shepherd has been Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association for more than 40 years. He is integral to the charity's activities and provides information and support based on his professional knowledge, personal experience as a doctor with ME/CFS, and the understanding gained from helping many thousands of people with the condition. He was a member of the comittee responsible for the 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline and is a recognised expert on ME/CFS in the UK. His knowledge extends to Post-Viral Fatigue Syndromes (PVFS), Myalgic Encephalopathy/Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or Long Covid.
If you have questions about ME/CFS or Long Covid, you can:
- Review the free information in the What is ME/CFS section of the website, and the free Covid-19 and Long Covid information in the website shop.
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Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor‘ series featured in the highly-regarded member’s magazine, ME Essential, and in the healthcare professional magazine, ME Medical. Both are produced by the ME Association and published as hard-copy magazines every 3 months and sent to members and healthcare professionals by post to home or business addresses.
If you are a Health Care Professional you can sign-up to receive ME Medical magazine (people with ME/CFS can also nominate their HCP by completing the sign-up form).