A Garden of Forking Paths: A Discourse Perspective on ‘Myalgic Encephalomyelitis’ and ‘Chronic Fatigue Syndrome’

‘Chronic fatigue syndrome’ (CFS) and ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’ (ME) are diagnostic labels that are at the center of ongoing conflicts in the field of health and illness, between doctors, patients, activists, and other interest groups. ‘CFS’ and ‘ME’ have different historical trajectories and are associated with different diagnostic criteria. In many cases, however, they are used interchangeably or synonymously with the umbrella term ‘ME/CFS’. This worsens preexisting conflicts and causes new ones, partly by effecting a confusing array of interpretive possibilities for patients new to the diagnoses and the issues at hand.