ME/CFS hub
Navigating life with ME/CFS can be disorienting, particularly in the early stages. Whether you have recently been diagnosed, are looking for management strategies, or are supporting someone with the condition, our guides aim to make things clearer.
Understanding ME/CFS
ME/CFS is a complex, multi-system neurological disease. It is far more than severe fatigue — it is an illness that affects how the body produces and manages energy, how the brain functions, and how the immune system responds.
What is ME/CFS? — a plain-language introduction to the illness, how it starts, and who it affects.
Causes and triggers — what causes ME/CFS to develop, and what triggers daily symptom worsening once you have it.
Severity levels — the four levels from mild to very severe, what daily life looks like at each, and why severity can fluctuate.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The defining feature of ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise (PEM) — a delayed and disproportionate worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity. Beyond PEM, the illness affects sleep, cognition, pain, and the autonomic nervous system.
ME/CFS symptoms — the main symptoms explained in plain language.
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) — how to recognise PEM, why the delay makes it dangerous, and how to reduce your risk.
How ME/CFS is diagnosed — what doctors look for, which tests help, and how to prepare for your appointment.
Managing daily life
There is no cure for ME/CFS yet. The focus is on management — reducing crashes, treating individual symptoms, and protecting quality of life. Pacing is the central strategy.
Managing ME/CFS — pacing, radical rest, treating individual symptoms, and emotional support.
Pacing guide — finding your energy envelope, the 50% rule, and pacing in practice.
Living with ME/CFS — adapting chores, home environment, mobility aids, and managing relationships.
The impact of ME/CFS — how the illness changes work, finances, independence, and mental health.
The Spoon Theory — a simple way to explain limited energy to people who do not have the condition.
Research and news
Research into ME/CFS has grown considerably in recent years, driven in part by the overlap with Long Covid. We cover where the science currently stands and how to find updates from credible sources.
ME/CFS research — current theories, major funding commitments, and where the field is heading.
ME/CFS news — how to spot reliable updates and where to follow real scientific progress.
Support and resources
ME/CFS resources — patient charities, research foundations, tracking tools, books, and communities worth your time.
FAQs — clear answers to the most common questions about ME/CFS.