
This Podcast Will Kill You
Ep 137 ME/CFS: What’s in a name? (A lot, actually)
Apr 16, 2024
Exploring the parallels between ME/CFS and Long Covid, the biological underpinnings of ME/CFS, the twisty history of the disease, the power of patient advocates, challenges in defining ME/CFS, immune system alterations, historical perceptions of similar conditions, stigma surrounding ME/CFS, and potential treatments and research strategies.
01:38:39
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Quick takeaways
- The history of ME/CFS diagnosis reveals a transition in medical understanding and the impact of victim blaming and gaslighting on patients.
- Current research and promising treatments for ME/CFS showcase the power of patient advocates in raising awareness about poorly understood diseases.
Deep dives
Historical Context of Neurosesmia
Neurosesmia, also known as exhaustion of the nervous system, found popularity in the 1860s with physician George Beard's article. It described symptoms including fatigue, nerve pain, indigestion, headaches, insomnia, depression, especially after slight exertion, affecting upper and middle-class New Yorkers primarily. Beard classified it as a sensitivity of the upper class, particularly in women, who absorbed lifelong stress.
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