@enduringlongcovid: Did you know there is a significant overlap between Long COVID and ME/CFS? A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis found that approximately 51% of people with Long COVID met diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. That does NOT mean every person with Long COVID has ME/CFS. And estimates vary considerably between studies depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used. But the overlap is significant. Another large NIH-funded study found that people who had COVID were nearly 5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS than people who had not been infected. Why does this matter? Because one of the defining features of ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise, or PEM. PEM is not simply being tired after activity. Physical activity, cognitive activity, emotional stress, social activity, and even things like showering or having a long conversation can worsen symptoms. And sometimes that worsening does not happen until hours or even a day or two later. That is why understanding whether someone with Long COVID is also experiencing ME/CFS and PEM matters. For some people, the answer is not simply to exercise more, push harder, or gradually increase activity. Sometimes the body is telling us that exertion has consequences. And we need healthcare providers, families, employers, and patients themselves to understand that. Long COVID and ME/CFS are not the same illness. But for many people, their stories overlap. And that overlap deserves much more attention. #LongCOVID #MECFS #PostExertionalMalaise #PEM #ChronicIllness

Enduring Long Covid

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Monday 31 August 2026 14:57:38 GMT