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.
Search all questions
Choose a letter to see our categories
- Show all
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- Y
- 5
- PEM
- PET
- PHI
- PIP
- PMS
- Pacing
- Pain
- Palpitations
- Pancreas
- Pandemic
- Panic Attacks
- Paracetamol
- Paralysis
- Parathyroid disease.
- Parkinson’s disease
- Paroxetine
- Pathophysiology
- Penicillin
- Pension
- Pensions Ombudsman
- Perimenopause
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Permanent Health Insurance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Personal Relationships
- Physical Exertion
- Physician
- Physiotherapist
- Pigmentation
- Pituitary
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Plasma
- Plasma Exchange
- Platelet Abnormalities
- Platelet Count
- Pneumococcal Infections
- Pneumococcal vaccination
- Pneumonia
- PoTS
- Pollen
- Polymyalgia
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Positron Emission Tomography
- Post Mortem
- Post Sepsis Syndrome
- Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome
- Post-Exertional Malaise
- Postural Hypotension
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
- Potassium
- Pre-Menstrual Syndrome
- Pre-Menstrual Tension
- Prednisolone
- Prednisone
- Pregabalin
- Pregnancy
- Prescribed
- Prescribing Errors
- Prescription
- Prevalence
- Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
- Primary Care
- Probiotics
- Prognosis
- Progressive
- Proinflammatory
- Protein
- Provigil
- Prozac
- Pruritis
- Psychological therapies
- Pulse Oximeter
- Pulse Rate
- Pyridostigmine
Questions in the Category: Prednisone
Treatment: Low Dose Steroids
I’m having joint problems at the moment and my consultant wants to inject a steroid into the joint to calm things down. I’m concerned that this could make my ME/CFS worse because I thought that people with ME/CFS should not take steroids. What do you suggest I do?
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.
- Review the largest range of literature covering all aspects of living with ME/CFS. Download detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, management, co-mordities, employment, education, related health conditions, The 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline, welfare benefits etc.
- Join the ME Association as a member and you'll receive the highly-rated ME Essential magazine, and you can ask questions of the charity’s expert advisers including Dr Shepherd.
- Contact us via the ME Connect Telephone Helpline (open 365 days a year) and speak to one of the national team of fully-trained volunteers who waiting to provide information and support.
- Contact us via email or social media:
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 an HCP you can sign-up here to receive ME Medical magazine (people with ME/CFS can also nominate their HCP by completing the sign-up form).
