What is ME?

M.E. is a condition characterised by a range neurological, autonomic, neuroendocrine, immune and sleep difficulties accompanied by persistent mental and physical fatigue (Carruthers et al, 2003). Common symptoms include:

• Post-exertional malaise
• unrefreshing, disturbed sleep
• muscle and joint pain
• Difficulties in concentrating, memory and information processing
• Speech impairment and difficulty in finding right words
• Mental confusion and brain 'fog'
• Sensitivity to light and noise
• Recurrent sore throat and flu-like symptoms
• Poor temperature control
• New sensitivities to food, medications or chemicals
• Loss of physical and mental stamina
• Rapid muscular and cognitive fatigability

• The WHO classifies M.E. as a neurological condition
• Symptoms are severe and diverse - M.E. is NOT being 'tired all the time'
• Research has shown that M.E. is an organic illness and NOT 'all in the mind'
• As yet there is no known cure for M.E. Despite affecting over 200,000 people in the UK and costing the economy over three billion pounds in lost income each year there is virtually no government funded biomedical research