ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

201–220 of 238 studies

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryCase-ControlEditor reviewed

[Multiple chemical sensitivity in sick-building syndrome].

Arnold Llamosas, Pablo A, Arrizabalaga Clemente, Pilar, Bonet Agusti, Montserrat et al.·Medicina clinica·2006

This study describes a dialysis worker who developed severe chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivities after prolonged exposure to poor indoor air quality in a poorly ventilated building. The person experienced eye irritation, breathing problems, and other symptoms that improved when the environmental conditions were examined and their connection to the illness was confirmed. The case highlights that healthcare facilities can expose workers to unhealthy air and chemical environments that may trigger ME/CFS-like illnesses.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryCase-ControlEditor reviewed

Efficacy of neurotropin in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

Toda, Katsuhiro, Kimura, Hiroaki·Hiroshima journal of medical sciences·2006

This case report describes one 28-year-old man with ME/CFS who was treated with a medication called Neurotropin (four tablets daily). His fatigue and widespread pain began improving within a week, and his sleep, focus, and memory improved within two weeks. He stopped taking the medication after 11 weeks and remained symptom-free for at least 5 months afterward.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryCase-ControlEditor reviewed

Qi therapy (external qigong) for chronic fatigue syndrome: case studies.

Shin, Yong-Il, Lee, Myeong Soo·The American journal of Chinese medicine·2005

This study looked at whether Qi therapy (a hands-on energy-based technique from traditional Chinese medicine) might help people with ME/CFS feel better. Two patients who received Qi therapy reported feeling more mentally relaxed and found it easier to cope with their pain and tiredness. While these are only two cases and more research is needed, the results suggest Qi therapy might be worth studying further as a complementary approach.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryObservationalEditor reviewed

[Chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical hypersensitivity after insecticide exposure].

Fernández-Solà, Joaquim, Lluís Padierna, Meritxell, Nogué Xarau, Santiago et al.·Medicina clinica·2005

This study followed 26 people who developed ME/CFS after being exposed to insecticide sprays at their workplace. Most patients were women who first experienced airway inflammation and digestive problems, followed by brain fog, muscle pain, and fatigue. About one-third also developed chemical sensitivity. The researchers emphasize that proper ventilation and safety precautions during and after insecticide use are crucial to prevent these illnesses.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryCase-ControlEditor reviewed

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Masuda, Akinori, Kihara, Takashi, Fukudome, Tsuyoshi et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2005

This study followed two ME/CFS patients who tried a type of heat therapy called far-infrared sauna (heated to 60°C) combined with warming afterward. After about 15-25 sessions, both patients reported major improvements in fatigue, pain, sleep problems, and fever. They continued the therapy once or twice a week for a year and did not get worse, even after stopping their previous medication.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Fibromyalgia syndrome in women.

Shaver, Joan L·The Nursing clinics of North America·2004

This article reviews fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a condition causing chronic pain and fatigue that affects far more women than men. The authors describe common symptoms and discuss research into what might cause FMS and related conditions like ME/CFS, IBS, and TMD, as well as current treatment options.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Subjective health complaints, sensitization, and sustained cognitive activation (stress).

Eriksen, H R, Ursin, H·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This review suggests that common symptoms like pain, tiredness, sleep problems, and digestive issues in conditions like ME/CFS may occur when the body's normal sensing system becomes overly sensitive. Rather than being caused by hidden disease, these symptoms may develop when people experience sustained stress and feel helpless, causing the nervous system to amplify normal bodily signals until they become unbearable.

Cognitive ImpairmentPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Physiology and pathophysiology of the 5-HT3 receptor.

Färber, L, Haus, U, Späth, M et al.·Scandinavian journal of rheumatology. Supplement·2004

This review examines how a specific brain chemical receptor called 5-HT3 works in the body and what happens when it malfunctions. The researchers found that blocking this receptor with certain medications may help treat several conditions, including ME/CFS, by reducing symptoms like nausea, pain, and anxiety. However, scientists still don't fully understand exactly how this receptor causes problems in these different illnesses.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredModerate confidenceReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Applying exercise to the management of fibromyalgia.

Ambrose, Kirsten, Lyden, Angela K, Clauw, Daniel J·Current pain and headache reports·2003

This article reviews research on how exercise affects fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. While medications are commonly used to treat these conditions, studies show that exercise can significantly reduce pain and tiredness. The authors suggest that exercise should be combined with other treatments as part of a comprehensive care plan.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Gender differences in fibromyalgia and other related syndromes.

Yunus, Muhammad B·The journal of gender-specific medicine : JGSM : the official journal of the Partnership for Women's Health at Columbia·2002

This review looked at why fibromyalgia and similar conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome affect many more women than men. Women with fibromyalgia tend to report more fatigue, worse sleep, more widespread pain, and more tender points than men. The reasons for these differences likely involve a mix of biological factors, psychological factors, and social factors.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryEditorialEditor reviewed

Somatization, sensitization, and functional dyspepsia.

Wilhelmsen, Ingvard·Scandinavian journal of psychology·2002

This study explores why people with conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and functional dyspepsia experience overlapping symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, and sleep problems. The researchers suggest these different conditions may share a common underlying process where the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain and discomfort signals, leading the body to experience and report multiple symptoms across different areas.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Sensitization, subjective health complaints, and sustained arousal.

Ursin, H, Eriksen, H R·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2001

This study proposes that a process called 'sensitization'—where the body becomes increasingly reactive to triggers over time—may underlie many chronic conditions including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and chemical sensitivities. The authors suggest that prolonged stress and sustained arousal (keeping your nervous system in a heightened alert state) may make the body more likely to develop this sensitization, particularly affecting muscles and pain perception.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryEditorialEditor reviewed

Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance.

Miller, C S·Addiction (Abingdon, England)·2001

This paper proposes a new theory called TILT (toxicant-induced loss of tolerance) that suggests the body can lose its ability to tolerate certain exposures—whether drugs or environmental chemicals—in similar ways. The author argues that both addiction and chemical sensitivity involve the same underlying breakdown in how the body normally handles these substances, which could help explain ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and other chronic illnesses.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Buskila, D·Current opinion in rheumatology·2001

This review examined fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and related pain conditions across different countries. Researchers found that pain sensitivity involves brain chemistry (including a system called NMDA), hormone imbalances, and nervous system problems. CFS was found in about 0.4% of a large community sample, with many children recovering well, though the study notes that no major new treatments were tested during this period.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearWeak / uncertainReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

[Fibromyalgia in the year 2000].

Maquet, D, Croisier, J L, Crielaard, J M·Revue medicale de Liege·2000

This review article examines fibromyalgia (FM), a condition causing widespread muscle pain that affects about 2% of people. While doctors can diagnose fibromyalgia using a specific test (checking for tenderness at 18 specific body points), scientists still don't fully understand what causes it. This article summarizes what researchers knew in 2000 about how fibromyalgia develops and how doctors treat it.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Pain complaints in patients with fibromyalgia versus chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bradley, L A, McKendree-Smith, N L, Alarcón, G S·Current review of pain·2000

Both fibromyalgia (FM) and ME/CFS cause muscle and joint pain, but the underlying reasons differ between these conditions. People with FM alone have unusually sensitive pain responses to light touch or mild pressure (called allodynia), while people with ME/CFS do not typically show this. This study examined what brain and hormone system differences might explain why these two conditions cause pain in different ways.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Buskila, D·Current opinion in rheumatology·2000

This review article examines the connections between fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and myofascial pain syndrome. Researchers found that people with these conditions often have tender points in their muscles, hormonal imbalances affecting stress response, and possible immune system involvement. The study suggests that talking therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy may help manage chronic pain in these conditions, and that children and adolescents with these illnesses often improve over time.

Autonomic Nervous SystemPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryObservationalEditor reviewed

Patterns of waking EEG spectral power in chemically intolerant individuals during repeated chemical exposures.

Bell, I R, Szarek, M J, Dicenso, D R et al.·The International journal of neuroscience·1999

Some people experience discomfort or symptoms from exposure to low levels of chemicals and odors. This study measured brain electrical activity (EEG) in people with chemical intolerance before and after exposure to mild chemical odors across two sessions. Researchers found that people with chemical intolerance who had made major lifestyle changes showed different brain patterns than those who hadn't, suggesting the brain may become increasingly sensitive to these exposures over time.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearWeak / uncertainEditorialEditor reviewed

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Matsumoto, Y·Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine·1999

This paper discusses fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and mood changes without visible inflammation or damage on tests. The author explains that while fibromyalgia is recognized as real, some doctors still debate whether it is truly distinct from other conditions. Many people with ME/CFS also meet the criteria for fibromyalgia, but there are some differences between the two conditions—such as signs of viral triggers and low blood chemical levels found in ME/CFS but not usually in fibromyalgia.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Illness from low levels of environmental chemicals: relevance to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Bell, I R, Baldwin, C M, Schwartz, G E·The American journal of medicine·1998

Some people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia react strongly to small amounts of everyday chemicals (like fragrances or pesticides) that don't normally harm others. This paper reviews evidence suggesting that the brain's limbic system—which controls emotions and basic body functions—may become overly sensitive to these chemicals, creating a chain reaction that affects multiple body systems. The authors propose that certain people are born with or develop a heightened sensitivity to this kind of stimulation, which could explain why some ME/CFS patients feel sick from exposure to low levels of chemicals.

Pain and SensitizationEndocrine Disruption

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[Multiple chemical sensitivity in sick-building syndrome].

Efficacy of neurotropin in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

Qi therapy (external qigong) for chronic fatigue syndrome: case studies.

[Chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical hypersensitivity after insecticide exposure].

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia syndrome in women.

Subjective health complaints, sensitization, and sustained cognitive activation (stress).

Physiology and pathophysiology of the 5-HT3 receptor.

Applying exercise to the management of fibromyalgia.

Gender differences in fibromyalgia and other related syndromes.

Somatization, sensitization, and functional dyspepsia.

Sensitization, subjective health complaints, and sustained arousal.

Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance.

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

[Fibromyalgia in the year 2000].

Pain complaints in patients with fibromyalgia versus chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Patterns of waking EEG spectral power in chemically intolerant individuals during repeated chemical exposures.

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Illness from low levels of environmental chemicals: relevance to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

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