Living with ME
The event, which will take place at the Forster Court Hotel from 4pm to 6pm, is being organised by the local ME support group.
The video is from an international conference which was held in the Ortega Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Parents of ME sufferers will take to the streets during ME awareness week, which runs from May 8 to 15, to raise funds through their blue ribbon fundraiser. The money raised will fund research into the condition which affects two in every 1,000 people. A gene research project is part-funded in this way and may help produce a diagnostic test for ME.
ME affects the immune and central nervous system and is characterised by debilitating chronic fatigue. Those affected also complain of many other related symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, painful glands, muscle weakness, muscle pain, headache, joint pains, sleep disturbance and mental symptoms, such as depression, confusion and poor concentration.
Sufferers are overwhelmed by fatigue and muscle weakness. They are lethargic and unable to concentrate. They have mood swings, are irritable and have sleep pattern disorders. Their muscles ache and are sore to touch. They feel as if they have a permanent flu. Headaches, joint pains, bowel problems, sore throats and swollen glands also occur, together with many other bewildering symptoms.
There are an estimated 10,000 sufferers in Ireland, hundreds in Galway city and county, according to the Irish ME/CFS support group. The onset of the condition is commonest between 20 and 40 years and women are more affected than men.
Research has yet to come up with a definitive cause for the condition. Most sufferers pinpoint a viral infection as the start of their illness, although no particular virus is present in all cases. One theory is that the breakdown in the body's defence mechanism merely allows whatever virus is about to invade one's system.
The most important aspect of treatment is rest, say experts. ME sufferers should never exert themselves - physically or mentally - to the point of fatigue.
The ME Support Group can be contacted by writing to PO Box 3075, Dublin 2. Tel (01) 2350965 or by e-mailing info@irishmecfs.org
Source: Galway Advertiser.
Exit Menu
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Option | Entry Location | Exit Action |
| 1 | From inside Satori-5 | Close this webpage |
| 2 | From outside Satori-5 | Visit Satori-5 Homepage |
| 3 | From outside Satori-5 | Use browser "Back" button to return |
| Goodbye | ||
