ACM - Arnold-Chiari malformation (usually just CM Chiari malformation, types 1-5)
ACTH - Adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADE - Antibody-dependent enhancement
ADH - Antidiuretic hormone, also known as vasopressin
ADP - Adenosine diphosphate
AfME - Action for ME
Ag - Antigen
ALA - Alpha-lipoic acid (not to be confused with alpha-linoleic acid, also ALA)
ALCAR - Acetyl-L-carnitine
ALD - Adrenoleukodystrophy (X linked)
ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as motor neuron disease (MND)
ANN - Artificial neural network
ANS - Autonomic nervous system
ANZMES - The Associated New Zealand ME Society
APS - Antiphospholipid syndrome (also APLS)
ART - Aggressive rest therapy
ASD - Autism spectrum disorder
ATP - Adenosine triphosphate
BBB - Blood-brain barrier
BCAA - Branched chain amino acid
BMJ - British Medical Journal
BPS - Biopsychosocial model
BPS - British Psychological Society
Ca - Calcium
Ca - Cancer (medical abbreviation)
CAA - CFIDS Association of America, now known as 'Solve M.E.'
CAC - Citric acid cycle (see also TCA)
CBT - Cognitive behavioral therapy
CCC - Canadian consensus criteria
CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
CFIDS - Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome
CFS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CM - Chiari malformation (types 1-5)
CMV - Cytomegalovirus
CNS - Central nervous system
COI - Conflict of interest
CoQ10 - Co-enzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol
CPET - Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
CSF - Cerebrospinal Fluid
CT- Computed tomography (obsolete: CAT scan 'computerised axial tomography')
DHA - Docosahexaenoic acid (a fish oil)
DHEA - Dehydroepiandrosterone (steroid precursor)
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid
EBV - Epstein-Barr virus
EDS - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (see also hEDS)
EEG - Electroencephalogram
EFA - Essential fatty acid
EHS - Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
EI - Environmental illness
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency (US)
EPA - Eicosapentaenoic acid (a fish oil)
ERMI - Environmental relative moldiness index
ERV - Endogenous retrovirus
ETA - Edited to add
EUROMENE - European ME/CFS Network
EV - Enterovirus
EV - Extracellular vesicle
FDA - Food and Drug Administration (US)
FM - Fibromyalgia, sometimes abbreviated FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome)
FMT - Fecal microbiota transplant
FOIA - Freedom of Information Act (US and similar in other jurisdictions)
GABA - Gamma Aminobutyric acid
GAD - Generalised anxiety disorder
GcMAF - Gc macrophage activating factor
GET - Graded exercise therapy
GERD - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (US English)
GNB - Gram-negative bacillus
GORD - Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (UK English)
GP - General practitioner
GPC - Glycerophosphocholine
GWAS - Genome-wide association studies
GWI - Gulf War illness
H2S - Hydrogen sulfide
HAART - Highly active antiretroviral therapy
HCT - Hematocrit
hEDS - Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type 3, c.f. classical EDS type1)
HERV - Human endogenous retrovirus
HERX - (Jarisch)-Herxheimer reaction
HHV-6 - Human herpesvirus 6
HPA - Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
HRV - Heart rate variability
HSP - Heat shock protein
HSV - Herpes simplex virus
IACFS/ME - International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
IBS - Irritable bowel syndrome
ICC - International consensus criteria
ICD - International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11 from Jan 2022)
IFN - Interferon
IgG - Immunoglobulin G
IgM - Immunoglobulin M
IiME - Invest in ME Research
IoM - Institute of Medicine (renamed), now National Academy of Medicine (US)
IRIS - Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
IVIG - Intravenous immunoglobulin
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
LC - Long Covid
LCFA - Long chain fatty acid
LDN - Low-dose naltrexone
LP - Lightning Process (beware: here be dragons)
LP - Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
LPR - Laryngopharyngeal reflux
LPS - Lipopolysaccharide
LTR - Long terminal repeat (identical repeated sequences of DNA)
MCAD - Mast cell activation disorder (an outdated term for any mast cell disorder)
MCADD - Medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
MCAS - Mast cell activation syndrome
MCS - Multiple chemical sensitivity
ME - Myalgic encephalomyelitis
MEA - ME Association (UK charity)
Mg - Magnesium
miRNA - microRNA
MND - Motor neuron disease (also ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
MRC - Medical Research Council (UK)
MRI - Magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MS - Multiple sclerosis
MSM - Methylsulfonylmethane
MUS - Medically unexplained symptoms (see MUPS)
MUPS - Medically unexplained physical symptoms
NAC - N-acetylcysteine
NADH - Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (+ hydrogen)
NCNED - National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (Australia)
NEID - Neuroendocrineimmune disorder (outdated term)
NEJM - New England Journal of Medicine
NHS - National Health Service (UK)
NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK)
NIH - National Institute of Health (US)
NIHR - National Institute for Health Research (UK)
NK - Natural killer (cell)
NLP - Neurolinguistic programming
NMH - Neurally mediated hypotension
NO - Nitric oxide
NP - Nurse practitioner
NTS - Nucleus tractus solitarii, brainstem nucleus of the vagus nerve
OI - Orthostatic intolerance
OH - Orthostatic hypotension
OMF - Open Medicine Foundation
PACE - Pacing, graded Activity and Cognitive behavioural therapy: a randomised Evaluation
PASC - Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (see long Covid)
PC - Phosphatidylcholine
PCP - Primary care physician
PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
PEM - Post-exertional malaise
PENE - Post exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (see PEM)
PESE - Post-exertional symptom exacerbation (see PEM)
PET - Positron emission tomography
PN - Peripheral neuropathy
PNS - Peripheral nervous system
POTS - Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
PR - Phoenix Rising (you are here)
PS - Phosphatidylserine
PVFS - Postviral fatigue syndrome (perhaps a time-limited, resolving form of ME/CFS)
PwME - Person with ME (also PwCFS)
RLS - Restless legs syndrome
RNA - Ribonucleic acid
SAD - Seasonal affective disorder
SCIG - Subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy (see IVIG)
SEL - Sustainable exertion limit
SEID - Systemic exertion intolerance disease (proposed alternative name for ME/CFS)
SFN - Small fibre neuropathy
SIBO - Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
SM - Syringomyelia (or syrinx)
SNP - Single-nucleotide polymorphism
SOD - Superoxide dismutase
SPECT - Single-photon emission computed tomography
SSRI - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
TCA - Tricarboxylic acid cycle, also known as citric acid cycle (CAC) or Krebs cycle
TCA - Tricyclic antidepressant
TMI - Too much information
TMJ - Temporomandibular joint
TNF - Tumour necrosis factor
VLCFA - Very long chain fatty acid
VN - Vagus nerve, tenth cranial nerve (CN X)
VZV - Varicella zoster virus
WHO - World Health Organization
XMRV - Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus
ACTH - Adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADE - Antibody-dependent enhancement
ADH - Antidiuretic hormone, also known as vasopressin
ADP - Adenosine diphosphate
AfME - Action for ME
Ag - Antigen
ALA - Alpha-lipoic acid (not to be confused with alpha-linoleic acid, also ALA)
ALCAR - Acetyl-L-carnitine
ALD - Adrenoleukodystrophy (X linked)
ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as motor neuron disease (MND)
ANN - Artificial neural network
ANS - Autonomic nervous system
ANZMES - The Associated New Zealand ME Society
APS - Antiphospholipid syndrome (also APLS)
ART - Aggressive rest therapy
ASD - Autism spectrum disorder
ATP - Adenosine triphosphate
BBB - Blood-brain barrier
BCAA - Branched chain amino acid
BMJ - British Medical Journal
BPS - Biopsychosocial model
BPS - British Psychological Society
Ca - Calcium
Ca - Cancer (medical abbreviation)
CAA - CFIDS Association of America, now known as 'Solve M.E.'
CAC - Citric acid cycle (see also TCA)
CBT - Cognitive behavioral therapy
CCC - Canadian consensus criteria
CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
CFIDS - Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome
CFS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CM - Chiari malformation (types 1-5)
CMV - Cytomegalovirus
CNS - Central nervous system
COI - Conflict of interest
CoQ10 - Co-enzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol
CPET - Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
CSF - Cerebrospinal Fluid
CT- Computed tomography (obsolete: CAT scan 'computerised axial tomography')
DHA - Docosahexaenoic acid (a fish oil)
DHEA - Dehydroepiandrosterone (steroid precursor)
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid
EBV - Epstein-Barr virus
EDS - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (see also hEDS)
EEG - Electroencephalogram
EFA - Essential fatty acid
EHS - Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
EI - Environmental illness
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency (US)
EPA - Eicosapentaenoic acid (a fish oil)
ERMI - Environmental relative moldiness index
ERV - Endogenous retrovirus
ETA - Edited to add
EUROMENE - European ME/CFS Network
EV - Enterovirus
EV - Extracellular vesicle
FDA - Food and Drug Administration (US)
FM - Fibromyalgia, sometimes abbreviated FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome)
FMT - Fecal microbiota transplant
FOIA - Freedom of Information Act (US and similar in other jurisdictions)
GABA - Gamma Aminobutyric acid
GAD - Generalised anxiety disorder
GcMAF - Gc macrophage activating factor
GET - Graded exercise therapy
GERD - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (US English)
GNB - Gram-negative bacillus
GORD - Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (UK English)
GP - General practitioner
GPC - Glycerophosphocholine
GWAS - Genome-wide association studies
GWI - Gulf War illness
H2S - Hydrogen sulfide
HAART - Highly active antiretroviral therapy
HCT - Hematocrit
hEDS - Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type 3, c.f. classical EDS type1)
HERV - Human endogenous retrovirus
HERX - (Jarisch)-Herxheimer reaction
HHV-6 - Human herpesvirus 6
HPA - Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
HRV - Heart rate variability
HSP - Heat shock protein
HSV - Herpes simplex virus
IACFS/ME - International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
IBS - Irritable bowel syndrome
ICC - International consensus criteria
ICD - International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11 from Jan 2022)
IFN - Interferon
IgG - Immunoglobulin G
IgM - Immunoglobulin M
IiME - Invest in ME Research
IoM - Institute of Medicine (renamed), now National Academy of Medicine (US)
IRIS - Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
IVIG - Intravenous immunoglobulin
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
LC - Long Covid
LCFA - Long chain fatty acid
LDN - Low-dose naltrexone
LP - Lightning Process (beware: here be dragons)
LP - Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
LPR - Laryngopharyngeal reflux
LPS - Lipopolysaccharide
LTR - Long terminal repeat (identical repeated sequences of DNA)
MCAD - Mast cell activation disorder (an outdated term for any mast cell disorder)
MCADD - Medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
MCAS - Mast cell activation syndrome
MCS - Multiple chemical sensitivity
ME - Myalgic encephalomyelitis
MEA - ME Association (UK charity)
Mg - Magnesium
miRNA - microRNA
MND - Motor neuron disease (also ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
MRC - Medical Research Council (UK)
MRI - Magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MS - Multiple sclerosis
MSM - Methylsulfonylmethane
MUS - Medically unexplained symptoms (see MUPS)
MUPS - Medically unexplained physical symptoms
NAC - N-acetylcysteine
NADH - Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (+ hydrogen)
NCNED - National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (Australia)
NEID - Neuroendocrineimmune disorder (outdated term)
NEJM - New England Journal of Medicine
NHS - National Health Service (UK)
NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK)
NIH - National Institute of Health (US)
NIHR - National Institute for Health Research (UK)
NK - Natural killer (cell)
NLP - Neurolinguistic programming
NMH - Neurally mediated hypotension
NO - Nitric oxide
NP - Nurse practitioner
NTS - Nucleus tractus solitarii, brainstem nucleus of the vagus nerve
OI - Orthostatic intolerance
OH - Orthostatic hypotension
OMF - Open Medicine Foundation
PACE - Pacing, graded Activity and Cognitive behavioural therapy: a randomised Evaluation
PASC - Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (see long Covid)
PC - Phosphatidylcholine
PCP - Primary care physician
PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
PEM - Post-exertional malaise
PENE - Post exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (see PEM)
PESE - Post-exertional symptom exacerbation (see PEM)
PET - Positron emission tomography
PN - Peripheral neuropathy
PNS - Peripheral nervous system
POTS - Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
PR - Phoenix Rising (you are here)
PS - Phosphatidylserine
PVFS - Postviral fatigue syndrome (perhaps a time-limited, resolving form of ME/CFS)
PwME - Person with ME (also PwCFS)
RLS - Restless legs syndrome
RNA - Ribonucleic acid
SAD - Seasonal affective disorder
SCIG - Subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy (see IVIG)
SEL - Sustainable exertion limit
SEID - Systemic exertion intolerance disease (proposed alternative name for ME/CFS)
SFN - Small fibre neuropathy
SIBO - Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
SM - Syringomyelia (or syrinx)
SNP - Single-nucleotide polymorphism
SOD - Superoxide dismutase
SPECT - Single-photon emission computed tomography
SSRI - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
TCA - Tricarboxylic acid cycle, also known as citric acid cycle (CAC) or Krebs cycle
TCA - Tricyclic antidepressant
TMI - Too much information
TMJ - Temporomandibular joint
TNF - Tumour necrosis factor
VLCFA - Very long chain fatty acid
VN - Vagus nerve, tenth cranial nerve (CN X)
VZV - Varicella zoster virus
WHO - World Health Organization
XMRV - Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus
Last edited: