Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) means muscle pain and swelling of the brain and spinal cord in Latin and is a serious, chronic complex illness with a broad array of multi-systemic neurological, muscular, metabolic, endocrine, autoimmune, cellular and connective tissue symptoms often triggered by infection (HHV-6, HSV-1, EBV, etc.) or trauma. ME causes a break in the body’s natural healing cycle and imposes a constant struggle for energy.

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While individual cases can occur at any point in time from a myriad of triggers, it has proven easier for the public to take notice during cluster patterns throughout history when large groups of healthy people present the same disabling symptoms following an infection from a pandemic or epidemic (MERS, SARS, COVID-19). 

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ME has been termed, “The Disease of a Thousand Names” highlighting the vast number of names used to describe the illness at various times and places around the world. Often misinterpreted by physicians and misreported by the media as a new mysterious disease following pandemics or epidemics (MERS, SARS, COVID-19), ME has actually existed and been chronicled for centuries. 

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Names over time have included: 
⦁    Akureyri Disease
⦁    Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
⦁    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 
⦁    Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome
⦁    Chronic Infectious Mononucleosis
⦁    Epidemic Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
⦁    Epidemic Neuromyasthenia
⦁    Iceland Disease
⦁    Myalgic Encephalitis
⦁    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
⦁    Myalgic Encephalopathy
⦁    Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome
⦁    Raphe Nucleus Encephalopathy
⦁    Royal Free Disease
⦁    Tapanui Flu
⦁    Yuppie Flu (pejorative)