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Adjusting to living with a chronic illness
Living with disabling conditions like ME/CFS and long COVID, with energy limitations that restrict what you can do, can be very challenging. There are many losses associated with living with these chronic conditions, as they affect all aspects of your life. From the realisation that your health isn’t improving, to the shock of receiving a
Pacing and Rest Position Statement
Pacing and rest are individualised and essential management techniques for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Pacing and rest promote safe levels of activity to manage post-exertional malaise (PEM), the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS.
Telehealth Position Statement
Emerge Australia welcomes the Federal Governments announcement that Medicare rebates will be made permanent for online and over-the-phone telehealth services provided by GPs, specialists and allied health practitioners.
Finding people for your health team
To manage your ME/CFS well, you will need a number of different healthcare professionals to help you deal with your ME/CFS symptoms and any other health conditions you may have.
Many doctors and other healthcare professionals do not specialise in ME/CFS, but they can play a valuable part in your care and health management.
Exercise as Treatment for ME/CFS and long COVID
Summary Although exercise therapy has historically been recommended as a primary treatment for ME/CFS, and is increasingly promoted for long COVID, the supporting evidence is limited, particularly in cases where post-exertional malaise (PEM) is present. Studies indicate that exercise therapy may not be effective for people with ME/CFS or long COVID who experience PEM. Additionally,
Using the heart as a guide to energy management Position Statement
Statement Pacing and rest are individualised and essential management techniques for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID. To enhance their pacing practice and minimise post-exertional malaise (PEM), some patients use changes in their heart rate as a guide, to stay within their energy limits. By monitoring their heart rate and avoiding
Crisis support
ME/CFS and long COVID are conditions that affect your body’s ability to work properly; they are not psychological conditions. However, it’s common to need support with mental health when living with long-lasting physical symptoms. Professional help can guide you through the challenges these conditions bring, help you adjust to a new way of life, and
Accessing mental health support
ME/CFS and long COVID are conditions that cause your body to not work properly, they are not psychological conditions. But it is not uncommon to need support with mental health when living with physical symptoms that don’t go away. Professional support can help you learn to cope with the challenges your illness brings, adjust to
Associated Conditions
In addition to ME/CFS, it common for people living with ME/CFS to have other conditions including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and orthostatic intolerance amongst others.
Webinar Series
As part of Emerge Australia’s commitment to providing up-to-date and evidence based management techniques we have launched a recurring webinar series. You can find those as well all the recent recordings from previous events below. Living with ME/CFS Q&A with Dr Richard Schloeffel OAM World ME/CFS Symposium 2023 Basics of ME/CFS Q&A with Dr Richard
Preparing information for your doctor
Many symptoms of ME/CFS can make communicating difficult. Some people who live with ME/CFS report that at times they struggle to recall information, lose their train of thought easily and find comprehending and processing new information difficult.
What is ME/CFS?
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex and disabling disease that affects many parts of the body, including the brain and muscles, as well as the digestive, immune and cardiac systems, among others.
ME/CFS – what’s in a name?
Published November 2022 Statement Emerge Australia uses the name ME/CFS as an umbrella term to encompass the varied diagnoses for which PEM is the core feature. Emerge Australia will continue to use this term until the science has definitively concluded whether the illness is one or more separate conditions, and there is consensus on a
NDIS Petitions 2018 and 2019
In 2018, Emerge Australia launched a paper petition to demand better access to the NDIS for people with ME/CFS. After gathering 1400 signatures, it was tabled in Parliament by Greens MP Adam Bandt on 5 December 2018. We launched the same petition online and over 10,273 people signed. The petition has paved the way for
Telehealth Campaign
In March this year, the federal government made a range of telehealth medical services temporarily available through Medicare. After many years of campaigning for telehealth services for people living with ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses, Emerge Australia and the ME/CFS community have warmly welcomed this change. The current arrangements were originally intended to expire in
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