ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

221–240 of 250 studies

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

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.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

[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 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: an update for athletic trainers.

Cramer, C R·Journal of athletic training·1998

This article reviews what we know about ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, two conditions that cause severe fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep problems. The authors looked at medical research and government health information to summarize how these conditions affect people, especially athletes. They discuss various treatments being tested, including exercise, relaxation therapy, and medications, and emphasize the importance of careful medical evaluation and psychological support during diagnosis and treatment.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Neurobehavioral properties of chemical sensitivity syndromes.

Weiss, B·Neurotoxicology·1998

This review examines four conditions that involve chemical sensitivity and fatigue-like symptoms: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome, Sick Building Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Gulf War Syndrome. The authors explore different theories about why people develop these conditions, including psychiatric factors, learned behavioral responses, changes in how the nervous system works, and problems with the immune system's stress response. The review suggests that laboratory studies and controlled clinical trials could help determine which explanations are correct.

Endocrine DisruptionPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic orofacial muscle pain: a new approach to diagnosis and management.

Klineberg, I, McGregor, N, Butt, H et al.·The Alpha omegan·1998

This study looked at different types of muscle pain conditions, including fibromyalgia and jaw pain, and found they affect men and women differently. The researchers suggest that some people may be genetically vulnerable to chronic pain, and that infections at the start of illness might play a role. They found links between abnormal fat levels, muscle metabolism problems, and fibromyalgia, which may also be connected to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

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.

Endocrine DisruptionPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain.

Bennett, R·Current opinion in rheumatology·1998

This review examines how fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and widespread pain are related conditions that share similar features. Researchers found that these conditions run in families, involve abnormal pain processing in the nervous system, and may share some underlying biological problems like growth hormone imbalances and low blood pressure. Several medications and treatments showed promise in reducing symptoms.

Pain and Sensitization

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Evidence browser

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

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

Fibromyalgia syndrome in women.

Physiology and pathophysiology of the 5-HT3 receptor.

Applying exercise to the management of fibromyalgia.

Somatization, sensitization, and functional dyspepsia.

Gender differences in fibromyalgia and other related syndromes.

Sensitization, subjective health complaints, and sustained arousal.

Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance.

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Pain complaints in patients with fibromyalgia versus chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Fibromyalgia in the year 2000].

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

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

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: an update for athletic trainers.

Neurobehavioral properties of chemical sensitivity syndromes.

Chronic orofacial muscle pain: a new approach to diagnosis and management.

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

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain.

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