All questions about ME/CFS and long COVID
What actually helps?
Energy management (pacing), medicines for symptoms such as pain and poor sleep, and support to live with it. There's no specific medicine for ME/CFS itself.
Adults should be referred to a specialist ME/CFS team for a care and support plan. Treatment decisions belong to the person who is ill and their doctors. Your part is support, not management: knowing what the guidelines say helps you understand what they're doing and why, so you can make it easier rather than work against it by accident.
Sources
- NHS: ME/CFS, treatment
- ME Association: What are ME/CFS and long COVID? (summarises the NICE 2021 guideline)
- NHS: Myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), overview
Reviewed 2026-11-09 · next review 2027-11-09