Symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis

Myalgic encephalomyelitis

Myalgic encephalomyelitis is a medical term for a disorder marked by serious and prolonged fatigue. Myalgic refers to the pains in muscles, while encephalomyelitis refers to the inflammation of the spinal cord or brain. This condition is also well known under the name chronic fatigue syndrome, and it reduces normal physical activity more that 50%.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis is not infectious or contagious disease. It can be treated and cured when the real cause is determined. Usually, this chronic fatigue syndrome affects more women than men, and in the ages between their 30 and 50 years, or in the early twenties. When it occurs in the children, it usually appears between their 13 and 15 years.

Causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis

The cause of this disorder is not yet established, but it is thought that some viruses can induce this disorder, such as herpes virus-6 or Epstein-Barr. Furthermore, it is also believed that chronic fatigue occurs because of the inflammation of the central nervous system. Moreover, there are also some factors that contribute to the appearance of myalgic encephalomyelitis. These factors are history of illness, genetics, age, exhaustion, stress as well as some environmental triggers or traumatic events.

To diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis, it is necessary that the symptoms last about 4 months in adults or 3 months in children. There is no test for the diagnosing this disorder.

Symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis

Most of the disorders have its symptoms and warning sings, and myalgic encephalomyelitis has some, too. The most frequent and common symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is a very specific and distinct fatigue. Tiredness is what each person usually feels after one hard and working day, but after a rest, the person feels good again. However, in the case of myalgic encephalomyelitis the fatigue does not disappear after any kind of rest and relax. Post-exertional malaise is the name for a fatigue that occurs the day after some activity and lasts for several days. Furthermore, some patient can experience difficulty in concentrating, painful joints, pain in muscles and headaches, as well as impaired memory, sore throat and lymph nodes in the neck and armpits.

In many cases diarrhea, nausea, irritable bowel and abdominal discomfort may occur. Some persons also complained of jaw pain, chest pain, blurred vision, eye pain and sensitivity, shortness of breath and night sweats and chills. In addition to these symptoms, abnormal allergic reactions, changes in weight or changes in moods, depression and anxiety are also likely to appear when a person suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis.