Anonymous
Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Search
Editing
Real illness
From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history
Namespaces
Page
Discussion
More
More
Page actions
Read
Edit
Edit source
History
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
{{NeedsImage}} Discussing whether something is a '''real illness''' can mean many different things, including: * whether an illness actually exists, or if the name is used to refer to unrelated symptoms * whether the illness is better accounted for by a different diagnosis * whether the illness symptoms are clinically significant, or if the person is a [[hypochondriasis|hypochondriac]] or one of the "worried well" experiencing normal bodily sensations * whether an illness is physical (organic) rather a than [[psychosomatic illness]] or a [[mental illness]] * whether the illness is a legitimate, recognized illness, for example it is listed in a diagnostic manual * whether an illness is generally recognized by other physicians * whether it is recognizable as a unique illness, rather than simply being a group of symptoms common in many patients * whether it is recognized as a serious illness, for example recognized for social security [[disability]] or illness payments ==Signs and symptoms== ==Effects == ==ME/CFS== ME/CFS is recognized as a real illness because there is scientific evidence that ME/CFS: * has a collection of symptoms which are linked by a disease process, and [[List of abnormal findings in chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis|medical abnormalities]] have been found which are not present in healthy people.<ref name="ICC2011primer">{{citation | last1 = Carruthers | first1 = BM | authorlink1 = Bruce Carruthers | last2 = van de Sande | first2 = MI | authorlink2 = Marjorie van de Sande | last3 = De Meirleir | first3 = KL | authorlink3 = Kenny de Meirleir | last4 = Klimas | first4 = NG | authorlink4 = Nancy Klimas | last5 = Broderick | first5 = G | authorlink5 = Gordon Broderick | last6 = Mitchell | first6 = T | authorlink6 = Terry Mitchell | last7 = Staines | first7 = D | authorlink7 = Donald Staines | last8 = Powles | first8 = ACP | authorlink8 = A C Peter Powles | last9 = Speight | first9 = N | authorlink9 = Nigel Speight | last10 = Vallings | first10 = R | authorlink10 = Rosamund Vallings | last11 = Bateman | first11 = L | authorlink11 = Lucinda Bateman | last12 = Bell | first12 = DS | authorlink12 = David Bell | last13 = Carlo-Stella | first13 = N | authorlink13 = Nicoletta Carlo-Stella | last14 = Chia | first14 = J | authorlink14 = John Chia | last15 = Darragh | first15 = A | authorlink15 = Austin Darragh | last16 = Gerken | first16 = A | authorlink16 = Anne Gerken | last17 = Jo | first17 = D | authorlink17 = Daehyun Jo | last18 = Lewis | first18 = DP | authorlink18 = Donald Lewis | last19 = Light | first19 = AR | authorlink19 = Alan Light | last20 = Light | first20 = KC | authorlink20 = Kathleen Light | last21 = Marshall-Gradisnik | first21 = S | authorlink21 = Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik | last22 = McLaren-Howard | first22 = J | authorlink22 = John McLaren-Howard | last23 = Mena | first23 = I | authorlink23 = Ismael Mena | last24 = Miwa | first24 = K | authorlink24 = Kunihisa Miwa | last25 = Murovska | first25 = M | authorlink25= Modra Murovska | last26 = Stevens | first26 = SR | authorlink26 = Staci Stevens | title = Myalgic encephalomyelitis: Adult & Paediatric: International Consensus Primer for Medical Practitioners | date = 2012| isbn = 978-0-9739335-3-6 | url = http://www.investinme.org/Documents/Guidelines/Myalgic%20Encephalomyelitis%20International%20Consensus%20Primer%20-2012-11-26.pdf}}</ref> * it has been in the [[World Health Organization]]'s diagnostic manuals since 1969<ref name="ICC2011primer" />{{Rp|1-2}} * it is classified as a physical, neurological disease by the World Health Organization, and is regarded as a serious physical disease by the CDC and the UK's [[National Health Service]]<ref name="CDCsymptoms">{{Cite web|url = https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms.html| title = Symptoms {{!}} Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome|website=[[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] | date = Jan 27, 2021|access-date = 2021-02-25}}</ref><ref name="niceng206">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206| title = Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (or Encephalopathy)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:diagnosis and management. NICE guideline. | last=NICE Guideline Development Group | first = | authorlink = |publisher=[[National Institute for Health and Care Excellence]] | date = 2021-10-29}}</ref> * underlying disease processes have been shown to exist by scientific research, and by results of autopsies from people who have [[Causes of death|died from ME/CFS]]<ref name="Maes2007"/><ref name="ICC2011primer"/> * symptoms cannot be fully explained by any other illness<ref name="canadianconsensus-CCC">{{Citation | last1 = Carruthers | first1 = Bruce M. | authorlink1 = Bruce Carruthers | last2 = Jain | first2 = Anil Kumar | authorlink2 = Anil Kumar Jain | last3 = De Meirleir | first3 = Kenny L. | authorlink3 = Kenny De Meirleir | last4 = Peterson | first4 = Daniel L. | authorlink4 = Daniel Peterson | last5 = Klimas | first5 = Nancy G. | authorlink5 = Nancy Klimas | last6 = Lerner | first6 = A. Martin | authorlink6 = Martin Lerner | last7 = Bested | first7 = Alison C. | authorlink7 = Alison Bested | last8 = Flor-Henry | first8 = Pierre | authorlink8 = Pierre Flor-Henry | last9 = Joshi | first9 = Pradip| authorlink9 = Pradip Joshi | last10 = Powles | first10 = AC Peter | authorlink10 = A C Peter Powles | last11 = Sherkey | first11 = Jeffrey A. | authorlink11 = Jeffrey Sherkey | last12 = van de Sande | first12 = Marjorie I. | authorlink12 = Marjorie van de Sande | title = Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical Working Case Definition, Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols| journal = Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | volume = 11 | issue = 2 | pages = 7-115 | date = 2003 | pmid = | doi = 10.1300/J092v11n01_02| url = http://www.investinme.org/Documents/PDFdocuments/CanadianDefinitionME-CFS.pdf}}</ref> ==News and articles == * 2004, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3751089.stm GPs' attitude 'may hinder care'] {{collapse top}} :CFS was officially recognised as a genuine illness in the UK by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and General Practitioners in October 1996. :But some of the GPs tended to view patients with CFS as having certain undesirable traits such as being "introspective" or having a "low symptom threshold". :They saw CFS patients as having "a certain personality trait that is chronic fatigue syndrome waiting to happen". :Rosalind Raine and colleagues suggest the doctors' stereotyping of CFS patients meant they saw the condition less as a discrete disorder, and more as a defining feature of the patient. :Such stereotyping of IBS did not seem to occur. :In contrast, patients with IBS were viewed to "battle through it" and rarely "debilitated to such an extent that they were off work". :The study authors said GPs' perceptions about patients with certain conditions might prevent them from assessing and treating each patient as objectively {{collapse bottom}} * 2016, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-35409331 What not to say to someone with chronic fatigue syndrome - or ME] - BBC News * 2017, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-41888146 I made a film from my bed to show my illness is real] - BBC News * 2017 [http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/a13044515/me-myalgic-encephalomyelitis-jennifer-brea-chronic-fatigue-unrest-film/ 'What it’s like to live with an incurable illness no-one believes is real'] - Cosmopolitan UK * 2017, [https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/about-me-shining-a-light-on-a-debilitating-disease-many-believe-doesn-t-exist-1.3299856 About ME: Shining a light on a debilitating disease many believe doesn't exist] - Irish Times :A sufferer has made a graphic documentary about myalgic encephalomyelitis * 2018, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45954552 ME and chronic fatigue: 'Some doctors don't believe you're sick'] BBC News :A 22-year-old who suffers from ME says some doctors do not believe the disease exists and patients struggle to get the care and support they need. * 2021, [https://nypost.com/2021/01/02/how-a-scientist-finally-proved-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-is-real/ How a scientist finally proved chronic fatigue syndrome is real] - New York Post ==Notable articles== *2020, The negative impact of the psychiatric model of chronic fatigue syndrome on doctors' understanding and management of the illness<ref name="Geraghty">{{Cite journal | last = Geraghty | first = Keith | authorlink = Keith Geraghty | date = 2020-07-02| title = The negative impact of the psychiatric model of chronic fatigue syndrome on doctors’ understanding and management of the illness|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2020.1834295|journal = Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior |volume=8|issue=3|pages=167–180|doi=10.1080/21641846.2020.1834295|issn=2164-1846|pmc=|pmid=|access-date=|quote=|via=}}</ref> [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21641846.2020.1834295 (Full text)] *2020, A relational analysis of an invisible illness: A meta-ethnography of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and their support needs<ref name="Pilkington">{{Cite journal | last = Pilkington | first = Karen | author-link = | last2 = Ridge | first2 = Damien T. | authorlink2 = | last3 = Igwesi-Chidobe | first3 = Chinonso N. | authorlink3 = | last4 = Chew-Graham | first4 = Carolyn A. | authorlink4 = Carolyn Chew-Graham | last5 = Little | first5 = Paul | authorlink5 = | last6 = Babatunde | first6 = Opeyemi | authorlink6 = | last7 = Corp | first7 = Nadia | last8 = McDermott | first8 = Clare | last9 = Cheshire | first9 = Anna | date = 2020-11-01| title = A relational analysis of an invisible illness: A meta-ethnography of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and their support needs|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620305888|journal=Social Science & Medicine|language=en|volume=265|issue=|pages=113369|doi=10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113369|issn=0277-9536|pmc=|pmid=|access-date=|quote=|via=}}</ref> [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620305888 (Full text)] *2019, Legitimizing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: indications of change over a decade<ref name="Friedberg2019">{{Cite journal| title = Legitimizing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: indications of change over a decade|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292|journal = Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior | date = 2020-01-02|issn=2164-1846|pages=24–31|volume=8|issue=1|doi=10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292 | first = Fred | last = Friedberg | last2 = | first2 = |pmc=|pmid=|quote= | author-link = Fred Friedberg | authorlink2 = |access-date=|via=}}</ref> - [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21641846.2020.1718292 (Abstract)] *2019, Dismissing chronic illness: A qualitative analysis of negative health care experiences<ref name="dismissing">{{Cite journal | last = McManimen | first = Stephanie | authorlink = Stephanie McManimen | last2 = McClellan | first2 = Damani | authorlink2 = | last3 = Stoothoff | first3 = Jamie | authorlink3 = | last4 = Gleason | first4 = Kristen | author-link4 = | last5 = Jason | first5 = Leonard A. | authorlink5 = Leonard Jason | date = Mar 2019| title = Dismissing chronic illness: A qualitative analysis of negative health care experiences|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30829147/|journal=Health Care for Women International|volume=40|issue=3|pages=241–258|doi=10.1080/07399332.2018.1521811|issn=1096-4665|pmc=6567989|pmid=30829147|access-date=|quote=|via=}}</ref> [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30829147 (Full text)] *2019, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It's Real, and We Can Do Better<ref>{{Cite web| title = Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It's Real, and We Can Do Better |url =https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/908622?src=rss| website = Medscape |access-date=2019-02-25 | date = Feb 25, 2019 | last = Unger | first=Elizabeth | authorlink = Elizabeth Unger | last2 = Medscape | first2 = | authorlink2 = |archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|url-access=registration}}</ref> [https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/908622?src=rss (Full text)] *2019, Ethical classification of ME/CFS in the United Kingdom<ref>{{Cite journal | last = O'Leary | first = Diane | authorlink = Diane O'Leary | date = Feb 2019| title = Ethical classification of ME/CFS in the United Kingdom|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bioe.12559|journal=Bioethics|language=en|volume=|issue=|pages=|doi=10.1111/bioe.12559|issn=1467-8519|quote=|via=}}</ref> [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bioe.12559 (Abstract)] *2015, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Real Illness<ref name="Komaroff2015b">{{Cite journal | last = Komaroff | first = Anthony L. | author-link = Anthony Komaroff | date = Jun 16, 2015 | title = Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Real Illness|url=http://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2322808/myalgic-encephalomyelitis-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-real-illness|journal=Annals of Internal Medicine|language=en|volume=162|issue=12 | pages = 871|doi=10.7326/m15-0647|issn=0003-4819|via=}}</ref> [http://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2322808/myalgic-encephalomyelitis-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-real-illness (Full text)] * 2015, The Physical Basis of CFS<ref name="Komaroff2015">{{Cite web|url=https://www.massmecfs.org/news/5-recent-research/cfscfidsme?start=8| title = The Physical Basis of CFS | last = Komaroff | first = Anthony | authorlink=Anthony Komaroff | date = 2015 | website = [[Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association]]|language=en-GB|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2021-12-18}}</ref> [https://www.massmecfs.org/news/5-recent-research/cfscfidsme?start=8 (Full text)] *2007, Not in the mind of neurasthenic lazybones but in the cell nucleus: patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have increased production of nuclear factor kappa beta<ref name="Maes2007">{{Cite journal | last = Maes | first = Michael | authorlink = Michael Maes | last2 = Mihaylova | first2 = Ivana | authorlink2 = Ivana Mihaylova | last3 = Bosmans | first3 = Eugene | authorlink3 = Eugene Bosmans | authorlink4 = | authorlink5 = | date = August 2007| title = Not in the mind of neurasthenic lazybones but in the cell nucleus: patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have increased production of nuclear factor kappa beta|url=http://www.nel.edu/userfiles/articlesnew/NEL280407A15.pdf|journal=Neuro Endocrinology Letters|volume=28|issue=4 | pages = 456–462|issn=0172-780X|pmid=17693979|quote=For decades, CFS patients were (and still are) dismissed as lazybones or hypochondriacs. Since 1994, the baffling illness has received recognition by the introduction of diagnostic criteria [1]. Nevertheless, many medical doctors and insurance companies still assert that CFS merely is a mental condition.<br>Doctors who treat CFS patients as suffering from a biological disorder and scientists who deal with the psycho-neuro-immune pathophysiology of CFS are often considered quacks by some of their colleagues, insurance companies and anti-quack societies, which are sometimes officially supported by governments, e.g. the Dutch government, in order to eliminate the scientific view that CFS is an organic disorder. The latter obviously would mean that the national health care system is obliged to financially support those patients who now are considered hypochondriacs and thus are suspended from the national health care systems. In accordance, the mainstream, “evidence based” treatment for CFS is cognitive behavioural therapy, which means that patients with CFS are being treated as having a mental illness with “treatments” that do not treat any underlying pathophysiology.<br>There is, however, evidence that CFS is accompanied by severe immune disorders, such as activation of the inflammatory response system (IRS) and increased oxidative and nitrosative stress with a significant damage to membrane lipids and functional proteins [2–4].|via=}}</ref> * 1992, ME: is it a genuine disease?<ref name="Shepherd1992">{{Cite journal | last = Shepherd | first = C. | author-link = Charles Shepherd | last2 = Lees | first2 = H. | date = 1992-05-01| title = ME: is it a genuine disease?|url=https://europepmc.org/article/med/1624312|journal=Health visitor|volume=65|issue=5|pages=165–167|issn=0017-9140|pmid=1624312}}</ref> [https://europepmc.org/article/med/1624312 (Abstract)] ==See also== *[[Invisible illness]] *[[Psychologization]] *[[Contested illness]] * [[Hypochondriasis]] (hypochondria or illness anxiety disorder) *[[Stigma and discrimination]] *[[Medical gaslighting]] *[[Ableism]] *[[Chronic illness]] ==Learn more== <!-- *Definition online *[https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/908622?src=rss Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It's Real, and We Can Do Better] - Medscape (registration needed) ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Diagnoses]]
Summary:
Please make sure your edits are consistent with
MEpedia's guidelines
.
By saving changes, you agree to the
Terms of use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 3.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Templates used on this page:
Template:Citation
(
edit
)
Template:Cite journal
(
edit
)
Template:Cite web
(
edit
)
Template:Collapse bottom
(
edit
)
Template:Collapse top
(
edit
)
Template:NeedsImage
(
edit
)
Template:Rp
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities
(
edit
)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist
(
edit
)
Module:No globals
(
edit
)
This page is a member of a hidden category:
Category:Articles that need an image or photo
Navigation
Navigation
Skip to content
Main page
Browse
Become an editor
Random page
Popular pages
Abbreviations
Glossary
About MEpedia
Links for editors
Contents
Guidelines
Recent changes
Pages in need
Search
Help
Wiki tools
Wiki tools
Special pages
Page tools
Page tools
User page tools
More
What links here
Related changes
Page information
Page logs