In the previous blog article, I drew attention to the condition Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and shared my experiences from clinical practice. In this article, I would like to explain what kind of illness this is, which symptoms occur, and what treatment options exist.
The German Society for ME/CFS estimates that around 250,000 people in Germany are affected, including about 40,000 children. Worldwide, the number is estimated at 17 million.
The hallmark of ME/CFS is a pronounced worsening of symptoms after even minor physical or mental exertion (so-called post-exertional malaise, PEM). This can include severe exhaustion (fatigue), pain, hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, immune system disturbances (flu-like symptoms, susceptibility to infections), autonomic nervous system dysfunction (rapid heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness), memory problems, brain fog, concentration difficulties, and much more.
Those who are very severely affected may have to lie in a darkened room, can hardly move or speak, and any outside visit is too much. These patients require care and are often in a palliative condition. In this unbearable situation, the wish for death and assisted dying can understandably become very strong, as there are currently hardly any therapeutic options.
ME/CFS often begins after an infection, for example with influenza viruses, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), or the coronavirus. The exact causes are unfortunately still not clearly known. There are indications that it may be an autoimmune disease. There are also no established biomarkers yet that would allow diagnosis through a blood test, for example. At present, diagnosis is based on internationally established clinical criteria.
There are no approved curative (healing) therapies for this disease. A great deal of research has been neglected in this area over the past decades. This is partly because ME/CFS was not taken seriously for a long time. That has begun to change, since a large portion of people with Long COVID develop ME/CFS — which significantly increases case numbers and already represents a broader societal problem.
The most important therapeutic intervention currently available is so-called pacing (activity and energy management) in order to prevent exertion intolerance and post-exertional malaise. You can find a very good guide on this here.
In addition, there are supportive therapies — meaning measures aimed at relieving symptoms — up to and including 24-hour care.
For those affected, ME/CFS represents a major social and economic problem. A large proportion of patients are unable to work, in some cases permanently.
The content of this blog/newsletter is provided for general informational purposes only and does not replace personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information presented here should therefore not be used as the sole basis for making health-related decisions. If you experience any medical complaints, you should in any case seek professional medical advice.
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Holistic physician and author Dr. Katja Aschenbrenner, MD, shares valuable insights from her clinical practice on functional medicine, gut health, hormones, Ayurveda, and everything that keeps us truly alive — for anyone who wants to understand their health and achieve vital longevity.
I am Dr. Katja Aschenbrenner. When no one else can find the root cause, my work begins. I support people with persistent exhaustion, unclear symptoms, or chronic illnesses using an integrative and functional medicine approach.
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