ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

161–180 of 250 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Significant aggravation of pre-existing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome following proton beam therapy for sphenoid wing meningioma: case report.

Fischer, Christian, Seidlitz, Annekatrin, Krause, Mechthild·Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al]·2026

This is a single case report of a 46-year-old woman with ME/CFS whose condition severely worsened after receiving proton beam radiation therapy for a brain tumor. Over months following treatment, she went from being ambulatory to completely bedridden, with worsening fatigue, pain, dizziness, and cognitive problems. The report suggests that radiation may have triggered this deterioration, but it remains unclear whether this outcome would occur in other ME/CFS patients undergoing similar treatment.

Pain and SensitizationSevere MEEnergy MetabolismCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Hopen, Stig Runar, Mjøen, Tor Arne·Cureus·2025

This article proposes a new theory about muscle pain and stiffness called Myopraktikk, which focuses on fluid pressure building up in the spaces around muscles. The authors suggest that when fluid pressure increases in these areas, it can cause muscles to feel tight, knotted, and painful—similar to what happens in conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. According to their hypothesis, releasing this pressure through manual treatment may help reduce symptoms in both the treated area and elsewhere in the body.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearLongitudinal

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

van der Schaaf, Marieke E, Geerligs, Linda, Toni, Ivan et al.·Psychological medicine·2024

This study looked at how fatigue and pain affect different networks in the brain of ME/CFS patients by taking brain scans at rest. The researchers found that fatigue and pain involve different brain circuits, suggesting they may be caused by different mechanisms. After cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), patients who improved showed better communication between brain regions associated with movement and the brain's resting network.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Yoo, Yeong-Min, Kim, Kyung-Hoon·The Korean journal of pain·2024

This article explains 'nociplastic pain'—a type of chronic pain that occurs when the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain signals, even when there is no obvious tissue damage or nerve injury. People with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions often experience this kind of pain. The article describes how doctors can recognize nociplastic pain and groups it with other conditions that share this same underlying mechanism of nervous system sensitivity.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy in breast cancer patients suffering from fatigue and musculoskeletal pain upon aromatase inhibitors treatment: a case-series study.

Tirelli, U, Valdenassi, L, Franzini, M et al.·European review for medical and pharmacological sciences·2023

This study looked at six breast cancer patients taking a hormone therapy drug (anastrozole) who experienced severe pain, weakness, and fatigue as side effects. These patients received oxygen-ozone therapy, a treatment where blood is mixed with ozone gas and returned to the body. After treatment, patients reported significant reductions in both pain and fatigue that lasted for several months.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Dixit, Ashish Kumar, Giri, Nibha, Singh, Shishir·Journal of complementary & integrative medicine·2023

This review looked at whether homeopathy—a complementary medicine approach—might help people recover from long-term symptoms after COVID-19. The authors searched published research and found that homeopathy has shown some promise in treating anxiety, depression, pain, and heart problems in other conditions, and they suggest it might be worth studying for post-COVID recovery.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Possible Application of Melatonin in Long COVID.

Cardinali, Daniel P, Brown, Gregory M, Pandi-Perumal, Seithikurippu R·Biomolecules·2022

This review examines whether melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates sleep, might help people with long COVID who experience symptoms similar to ME/CFS—such as brain fog, fatigue, and muscle pain. Melatonin has several properties that could potentially help: it reduces inflammation, fights harmful molecules in the body, supports immune function, and protects nerve cells. The authors suggest melatonin might be worth studying further as a treatment for the lingering cognitive and pain symptoms some long COVID patients experience.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Clinical effects of wasabi extract containing 6-MSITC on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an open-label trial.

Oka, Takakazu, Yamada, Yu, Lkhagvasuren, Battuvshin et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2022

Researchers tested whether wasabi extract—specifically a compound called 6-MSITC that has anti-inflammatory properties—could help people with ME/CFS. Fifteen patients took the supplement daily for 12 weeks, and many reported improvements in headaches, muscle pain, brain fog, and cognitive problems like word-finding difficulties. The study found measurable improvements in pain sensitivity and thinking speed, though overall fatigue scores did not change significantly.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

Serafimova, Teona, Ascough, Caitlin, Parslow, Roxanne Morin et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2022

This study explored how children with ME/CFS experience pain by interviewing 13 young people (average age 15). Researchers found that pain is very common, highly varied, and significantly impacts daily life—affecting physical activity, eating, schooling, and mental health. Most importantly, the children reported that current treatments don't work well, highlighting an urgent need for better pain management options.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Endometriosis and chronic overlapping pain conditions].

Häuser, Winfried·Schmerz (Berlin, Germany)·2021

This review examines how endometriosis (a painful condition affecting the reproductive system) often occurs alongside other chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, migraines, and others. The authors explain that these conditions share common underlying causes—such as childhood stress or trauma—and similar ways the nervous system processes pain signals. They recommend that doctors screen endometriosis patients for these overlapping conditions and use medications like amitriptyline or duloxetine combined with physical therapy and psychological support, rather than repeated surgeries.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Orthostatic stress testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients with or without concomitant fibromyalgia: effects on pressure pain thresholds and temporal summation.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Rowe, Peter C, Verheugt, Freek W A et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2021

This study tested how standing up quickly (which can trigger ME/CFS symptoms) affects pain sensitivity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers measured how much pressure patients could tolerate on their finger and shoulder before and after a tilt test. They found that ME/CFS patients became more pain-sensitive after the tilt test, meaning their bodies responded to pain more strongly than healthy people, and this effect was even more pronounced in those who also had fibromyalgia.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Migraine Is More Than Just Headache: Is the Link to Chronic Fatigue and Mood Disorders Simply Due to Shared Biological Systems?

Karsan, Nazia, Goadsby, Peter J·Frontiers in human neuroscience·2021

This review examines why migraine sufferers often experience fatigue, mood changes, and cognitive difficulties—symptoms that can occur hours or days before a headache arrives. Rather than being separate diseases, the authors suggest these symptoms may stem from shared brain chemistry problems in people with migraines, similar to what happens in ME/CFS and depression. The study proposes that migraine is fundamentally a disorder of how the brain processes sensory information, not just a headache condition.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Does muscular or mental fatigue have an influence on the nociceptive flexion reflex? A randomized cross-over study in healthy people.

Dhondt, Evy, Danneels, Lieven, Rijckaert, Johan et al.·European journal of pain (London, England)·2021

This study tested whether being physically or mentally tired changes how the body's spinal cord responds to pain signals. Researchers measured a reflex that happens in the spinal cord when stimulated with electrical pulses to a nerve in the leg, both before and after participants either rested, did tiring leg exercises, or completed a difficult mental task. They found that low-to-moderate levels of fatigue—whether physical or mental—did not change this spinal reflex, suggesting the body's pain-dampening systems stay stable even when tired.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

Teitelbaum, Jacob, Goudie, Sarah·Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study tested a special form of red ginseng called HRG80 in people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and post-COVID fatigue. Over one month, 188 patients took daily ginseng supplements and reported their symptoms. About 60% of participants felt better, with improvements in energy, mental clarity, sleep, and stamina.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

DNA Methylation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression Account for Symptoms and Widespread Hyperalgesia in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Comorbid Fibromyalgia.

Polli, Andrea, Ghosh, Manosij, Bakusic, Jelena et al.·Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)·2020

This study found that people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia have unusual patterns in how their genes are regulated, specifically involving a molecule called BDNF that affects pain and nerve function. Researchers measured genetic markers and protein levels in blood samples and found that changes in how BDNF genes are 'switched on and off' may explain why patients experience severe fatigue, pain, and widespread body aches.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The Interplay between Oxidative Stress, Exercise, and Pain in Health and Disease: Potential Role of Autonomic Regulation and Epigenetic Mechanisms.

Hendrix, Jolien, Nijs, Jo, Ickmans, Kelly et al.·Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This review examines how physical activity, pain, and a harmful process called oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) interact in both healthy people and those with chronic pain conditions. The authors found that the relationships between these three factors are complicated and depend on the type of exercise and which person is being studied. They suggest that the nervous system's automatic functions and changes in how genes are expressed may help explain why these connections work differently in different people.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and chronic pain conditions - vitally protective systems gone wrong.

Pedersen, Maria·Scandinavian journal of pain·2019

This review explains that ME/CFS and chronic pain conditions share important similarities—both involve protective body signals that were helpful in the short term but become problematic when they persist long-term. The authors suggest that our brain's tendency to anticipate and predict threats may play a role in keeping these conditions going, which helps explain why treatments focusing on stress relief and changing thought patterns can sometimes help patients improve.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryTrialPEM not requiredRCT

Treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI) with KPAX002 (methylphenidate hydrochloride + GWI nutrient formula) in subjects meeting the Kansas case definition: A prospective, open-label trial.

Holodniy, Mark, Kaiser, Jon D·Journal of psychiatric research·2019

Researchers tested a combination treatment called KPAX002—containing a stimulant medication (methylphenidate) plus vitamins and nutrients meant to support energy production in cells—in 17 people with Gulf War Illness. After 12 weeks, patients reported about 25% improvement in their overall symptoms, including better fatigue, brain fog, sleep, and pain. The treatment was generally safe and well-tolerated, though a larger, more rigorous study is needed to confirm these results.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

An Association of Serotonin with Pain Disorders and Its Modulation by Estrogens.

Paredes, Stephania, Cantillo, Santiago, Candido, Kenneth D et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2019

This review article explains how a brain chemical called serotonin affects pain perception, and how female hormones (estrogens) can influence serotonin levels. The authors examine the connection between serotonin, hormones, and several pain conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and migraines. They suggest that targeting serotonin and hormone pathways might offer new treatment options for pain in the future.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The link between idiopathic intracranial hypertension, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome: exploration of a shared pathophysiology.

Hulens, Mieke, Rasschaert, Ricky, Vansant, Greet et al.·Journal of pain research·2018

This review paper proposes that ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and a condition called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IICH—where pressure builds up around the brain) may share similar underlying causes. All three conditions cause widespread pain, fatigue, cognitive problems, and other symptoms that could potentially be explained by increased pressure in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

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Significant aggravation of pre-existing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome following proton beam therapy for sphenoid wing meningioma: case report.

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy in breast cancer patients suffering from fatigue and musculoskeletal pain upon aromatase inhibitors treatment: a case-series study.

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Possible Application of Melatonin in Long COVID.

Clinical effects of wasabi extract containing 6-MSITC on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an open-label trial.

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

[Endometriosis and chronic overlapping pain conditions].

Orthostatic stress testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients with or without concomitant fibromyalgia: effects on pressure pain thresholds and temporal summation.

Migraine Is More Than Just Headache: Is the Link to Chronic Fatigue and Mood Disorders Simply Due to Shared Biological Systems?

Does muscular or mental fatigue have an influence on the nociceptive flexion reflex? A randomized cross-over study in healthy people.

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

DNA Methylation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression Account for Symptoms and Widespread Hyperalgesia in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Comorbid Fibromyalgia.

The Interplay between Oxidative Stress, Exercise, and Pain in Health and Disease: Potential Role of Autonomic Regulation and Epigenetic Mechanisms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and chronic pain conditions - vitally protective systems gone wrong.

Treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI) with KPAX002 (methylphenidate hydrochloride + GWI nutrient formula) in subjects meeting the Kansas case definition: A prospective, open-label trial.

An Association of Serotonin with Pain Disorders and Its Modulation by Estrogens.

The link between idiopathic intracranial hypertension, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome: exploration of a shared pathophysiology.

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