M.E (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

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AS and A Level Psychology

        M.E (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

M.E is a chronic illness that affects the body systems and their functioning. The changes seem to affect the nervous system, immune system and other body systems. The illness can also cause profound exhaustion, muscle pain, problems with mental functioning such as memory loss and poor concentration, malaise and other symptoms.

The term M.E. originally stood for ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’. This literally means muscle pain (myalgic) and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord (encephalomyelitis). However, scientifically the term is inaccurate because there is no evidence of inflammation in the brain, also it is wrong as a description of the illness because not everyone has muscle pain. Some suggestions of a new names have been encountered, one being myalgic encephalopathy, meaning muscle pain and abnormality of brain function.

Many people know the condition as M.E. but the formal term currently used by the medical profession is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Some people consider M.E. to be distinct from CFS, or as a subgroup of it.

M.E. can affect men, women and children of all ages and backgrounds. It is estimated that there are over 150 000 people in the U.K with M.E.; nearly two thirds of them are women. A study showed that 1 in 250 people in the community have symptoms of CFS. Most people develop the illness between their early twenties and mid-forties. However M.E. does affect children and young people, generally those between the ages of 13 to 15 but sometimes children as young as five years old.

There is currently no single medical or laboratory test to diagnose M.E. This is also the case for many other illnesses that do not have a known single cause. Doctors identify such illnesses by recognising a pattern of symptoms together with features on examination and tests. There is a variation of time lengths as to how long people suffer with M.E.

The cause or causes of M.E. are not fully understood. It often develops after a virus, like flu or glandular fever, but it can also happen gradually for no obvious reason. People with M.E. have been found to have abnormalities in the nervous system, including part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus regulates sleep, temperature control and appetite. Abnormalities have also been found in the immune system. More research is needed before these abnormalities and their impact are properly understood. 

It is thought that women are more prone to developing M.E. Some studies have suggested that genetics may have a role to play as the illness may be more common in certain families.

Some  possible triggers for the illness are:

  • Around two-thirds of cases of M.E. are triggered by an obvious viral infection, including glandular fever, viral meningitis, viral hepatitis, and less commonly infection with bacteria, or other organisms. Many of the infections triggering M.E. seem to be ordinary flu-like infections, from which some people don't recover in the normal way.
  • Vaccinations or toxins in the environment. These are very occasionally identified as possible triggers for the illness.
  • Physical injury or trauma such as an accident or operation very occasionally appear to trigger M.E.
  • The evidence that life events such as bereavement can trigger M.E. is weak. Major life events are more likely to lead to a mood disorder such as depression, which can be misdiagnosed M.E. Many people with M.E. do however report that increased stress seems common around the time they first get ill, or when another trigger like an infection occurs.
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Factors that maintain the illness are:

  • Doing too much or being too active or lurching between over and under activity, which is otherwise known as ‘boom and bust’.
  • Sleep problems, which are very common with M.E. reduce energy levels even further.
  • Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety reduce a person's ability to cope with the illness.
  • Whilst rest is very important, doing too little or being inactive may be detrimental. Prolonged inactivity can cause muscle wasting and weakness. However, in the early stages of the illness or during a relapse, a period of inactivity may help. ...

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M.E (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
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    2531
  • Page Count
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  • Level
    AS and A Level
  • Subject
    Psychology
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