For People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, More Exercise Isn't Better
The Centers for Disease Control have revised recommendations for treating ME/CFS, and now say that vigorous exercise can make symptoms worse. Patient advocates say it's a huge victory.
Health organizations are emphasizing that myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is a serious long-term illness, not a psychological disorder, and that standard forms of exercise do not help. Instead, they're acknowledging that exercise can make the disease much worse unless doctors and patients are very careful.
The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention has already revised its patient guidelines on ME/CFS and is currently revising the ones for physicians.
The action by the federal agency is a significant shift in the years-long controversy over diagnosis and management of the disease, which is characterized by months of incapacitating fatigue, joint pain and cognitive problems.
