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Flu-like symptoms

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Flu-like symptoms are experienced when one has influenza, a flu-like illness, many other illnesses and diseases, and some medications.[1] ME/CFS sufferers experience recurrent flu-like symptoms which increase after exertion due to post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Presentation[edit | edit source]

Body aches and pains, chills, cough, fatigue, fever, headache, muscle soreness, nasal congestion, sore throat, and stiffness are all flu-like symptoms due to influenza or flu-like illness.[2][3][4] Malaise, which is a feeling of weakness, discomfort, like you have an illness, or simply not feeling well is often described by patients with a cold or flu as well as many other illnesses.[5]

Prevalence[edit | edit source]

Flu-like symptoms in ME/CFS[edit | edit source]

Patients reporting flu-like symptoms can help confirm a diagnosis of ME/CFS. These symptoms can include general pain (myalgia) and a feeling of being unwell, a fever and temperature control, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands.[6][7][8]

Symptom recognition[edit | edit source]

Potential treatments[edit | edit source]

Notable studies[edit | edit source]

Possible causes[edit | edit source]

There are many illnesses, infections, contagions and contaminants that can cause flu-like symptoms such as: anthrax, brain infection, central nervous system infections, chickenpox, enteroviruses, food poisoning, fibromyalgia, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, Hodgkin's disease, Legionnaires' disease, lyme disease, monkeypox, Percocet withdrawal, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, Weil's syndrome, and many more.[1][5]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 "Causes of Flu-like symptoms - RightDiagnosis.com". rightdiagnosis.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Flu-Like Symptoms | Infections | Contagious Diseases". June 26, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  3. ↑ Clopton, Jennifer (January 4, 2018). "Is It Flu, Or Flu-Like? The Difference Matters". WebMD. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  4. ↑ Gardner, Amanda (February 21, 2018). "7 Conditions That Feel Like the Flu–But Aren't". Health.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  5. ↑ Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 "Malaise: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis". healthline.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  6. ↑ Kraft, Sy (January 22, 2018). "Chronic fatigue syndrome: Symptoms, treatment, and causes". Medical News Today. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ Dellwo, Adrienne (August 16, 2018). "The Complexity of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Verywell Health. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Symptoms, Testing and Assessment". The ME Association. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Malaise: Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis". healthline.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

post-exertional malaise (PEM) - A notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small physical or cognitive exertions. PEM may be referred to as a "crash" or "collapse" and can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain, trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, and others.

See post-exertional malaise.

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