When it comes to describing yourself, you may find it challenging to choose one word to describe yourself. Choosing a single word that best describes you is a common question that interviewers ask in an effort to assess your personality and your perspective of the world around you. The task of finding a word to describe yourself can be difficult, but it is important to do so in order to present your best self to potential employers.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or ME, is a severe illness. Most people with ME are unable to work full or part time and some cannot even leave their homes. People with ME score more disabled on quality of life surveys than people with multiple sclerosis, heart disease, lung diseases, cancer or diabetes.
ME can occur at any age and affects women more than men. It is a worldwide phenomenon and people from all backgrounds can be affected. While there is still no cure for ME, a number of things can be done to help those with it cope. The ME Association has produced a helpful clinical guideline to support healthcare professionals, patients and carers. It covers the basics of ME/CFS, including symptom recognition, diagnosis, management and ongoing care and support.
The ME Association is dedicated to bringing about better and more consistent care for people with ME/CFS. In addition to educating professionals about the illness, we also work closely with government and policy bodies to ensure that people with ME/CFS get the best care possible.
There is no known cause for ME, but it can be triggered by many infections. These include glandular fever (EBV), herpes viruses such as herpes B, C and shingles, influenza, enteroviruses, Ross River virus in Australia and Epstein-Barr virus. There is growing evidence that ME is a neurological disorder and further research is needed to understand how the brain and immune system are involved in the illness.
ME/CFS sufferers can often look perfectly healthy and the blood tests that are usually ordered by doctors don’t show anything out of the ordinary. Yet most people with ME have a severely debilitating illness that is different from the normal tiredness experienced after a long night or a bout of flu or mononucleosis.
ME/CFS is a neurological disease that can affect all body systems and be triggered by infection. It has been found to have a very similar pattern of symptoms to other illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and cancer. The illness is characterized by post-exertional malaise, or PEM, which is defined as a flare of symptoms that occurs after physical, cognitive or emotional exertion. PEM can be severe and lasts