List of symptoms in ME CFS

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a multi-systemic illness, so symptoms are commonly grouped according to the bodily system involved, for example neurological system, immune or cardiovascular (circulatory) system symptoms. ME/CFS is the acronym used to describe a set of symptoms that both ME and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have in common and usually the patients' ME or CFS had an onset due to a flu-like illness or mononucleosis, or other infections such as Brucellosis, Epstein-Barr virus, and Meningitis.

However, it is unclear if ME is equivalent to CFS, is a specific form of it, or something entirely different. In ME/CFS research, the terms are often used synonymously, though there is no clear evidence to support either equating them or separating them.

The list of symptoms in ME CFS can be extensive and most patients will not have every symptom possible.

The International Consensus Criteria (ICC) is for diagnosing ME, a neurological disease defined by the World Health Organization in 1969 and encompasses moderately ill to the most severe to very severe diagnosis. The Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) defines ME/CFS symptoms which diagnoses mostly moderate to severe patients. A minimum list of symptoms can be found for Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID), another ME/CFS definition and meeting this criteria only (not meeting ICC or CCC) will diagnose a patient that is usually mild to moderate in number of symptoms and their severity.

Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) symptom list
These are the minimum of core symptoms necessary to be diagnosed with SEID, an ME/CFS criteria. Patients can have more symptoms and they are outlined in the Institute of Medicine report.

These core symptoms are also part of the CCC and ICC criteria below. ME/CFS and ME patients will always have these core symptoms and the SEID diagnostic criteria can be used to diagnose these patients also. However, the SEID diagnostic criteria cannot speak to the number of symptoms and their severity all ME/CFS and ME patients experience. The IOM report authors who created the SEID diagnostic criteria did include other symptoms in chapters 4 and 5.


 * chronic fatigue and


 * post-exertional malaise (PEM) and

and at least one of the following: or
 * unrefreshing sleep
 * cognitive impairment
 * orthostatic intolerance (OI)

Pediatric cases have the same symptoms. However, the CDC notes some differences: OI (dizziness and lightheadedness) is experienced more often making their other ME/CFS symptoms worse. Sleep problems may be harder to detect; they will experience insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and intense and vidid dreaming. Children and adolescents do not usually have muscle and joint pain but headaches and stomach pain are more common. Dr. David Bell agrees the symptoms for children can be different noting abdominal pain is more common and in teens there can be facial flushing. Although children do not describe having PEM, a hallmark symptom used in diagnosing ME/CFS, they can experience a relapse from exertion, perhaps from just taking the school bus, having to spend prolonged periods in bed. "It has been my belief, although never proven in clinical studies, that an adolescent who spent the first three months in bed due to ME/CFS will still be ill at age 35, even though they may have been almost well in the years in between."

Children, particularly adolescents, will more likely have an acute illness like the flu or mononucleosis as their onset.

Canadian consensus criteria (CCC) symptom list
The Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC), an ME/CFS criteria, includes a list of recognized signs and symptoms in the appendix. Only some of these symptoms within the categories below are needed to be diagnosed under the Canadian Consensus Criteria diagnostic criteria. Pediatric cases have the same symptoms.

International consensus criteria (ICC) symptom list
The International Consensus Criteria (ICC) will diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). See the International Consensus Criteria diagnostic criteria for diagnostic guidance. Not every symptom listed is necessary to diagnose ME but having symptoms within categories is necessary.

Post-exertional Neuroimmune Exhaustion (PENE)
Previously known as Post-exertional malaise.

Neurological
Neurocognitive Impairments

Pain Sleep disturbances Neurosensory, Perceptual and Motor Disturbances

Learn more

 * International Consensus Primer for medical practitioners


 * IOM report - Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


 * Canadian Consensus Criteria