Malaise

Malaise is a feeling of being unwell, having general discomfort, uneasiness in one's bodily health or having pain, overall weakness, and is often the first indication of an infection or the onset of an illness or disease.

ME/CFS patients have an almost continuous feeling of malaise and this and other symptoms can worsen upon exertion leading to post-exertional malaise (PEM), the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS.

Malaise in ME/CFS
Malaise is a general feeling of being unwell which can be almost constant if not constant in ME/CFS depending upon the patient's disease severity. There are many symptoms experienced by patients often associated with malaise, each waxing and waning and with differing severity. These malaise and other ME/CFS disease symptoms will worsen and increase in number upon exertion due to PEM.

Cause
There are many possible causes of malaise. A cold, influenza, and swine flu; hypoglycemia common in diabetes; strep throat; sinus infections; bronchitis; hepatitis; shingles; malaria; lupus; obstructive uropathy; HIV/AIDS; dengue hemorrhagic fever; ebola; chronic fatigue syndrome; neutropenia (low white blood cells); necrotizing fasciitis (soft tissue inflammation); lyme disease; encephalitis; chronic kidney diseas; pyelonephritis; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; infectious mononucleosis; bone infection; chickenpox; walking pneumonia (atypical pneumonia); and cellulitis, to name just a few.

Symptoms
Depending on the underlying cause, different symptoms can occur.

Physical symptoms affecting the body Other symptoms that may occur along with malaise such as those related to emotional or psychological disturbance Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
 * Abdominal pain or cramping
 * Enlarged lymph nodes
 * Fever and chills
 * Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, aches, and pain s)
 * Joint pains
 * Missed or irregular menstrual periods
 * Muscle aches
 * Severe fatigue
 * Unexplained weight loss
 * Anxiety
 * Changes in mood, personality or behavior
 * Depression
 * Difficulty with memory, thinking, talking, comprehension, writing or reading
 * Fatigue
 * Irritability and mood changes
 * Lack of energy
 * Lethargy
 * Chest pain or pressure
 * Difficulty breathing
 * High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
 * Inability to eat or drink
 * Paralysis
 * Severe abdominal pain or cramping