Useful when …
when fatigue, PEM, sleep problems, pain, or cognitive symptoms occur together
when symptoms have persisted for months and need clearer documentation
when you want to see whether your pattern appears ME/CFS-oriented
Canadian Consensus Criteria · orientation, not diagnosis
ME/CFS
Self-Test.
Free ME/CFS self-assessment to structure symptoms against the Canadian Consensus Criteria. It is an orientation tool, not a diagnostic test, and does not replace medical assessment.
Duration
5-10 minutes
Free
Always
account
No
ME/CFS Symptom Check & Self-Assessment
1
What this questionnaire measures
The check organizes core symptom clusters such as post-exertional worsening, sleep, pain, and cognitive symptoms against the Canadian Consensus Criteria.
2
When this questionnaire is useful
It is most useful when symptoms have persisted for months, worsen after exertion, and need clearer language for self-documentation or a clinician discussion.
3
What the result does not do
The self-assessment cannot diagnose or rule out ME/CFS and cannot perform differential diagnosis. Persistent or severe symptoms require medical assessment.
What does it check?
Core criterion
Disease duration ≥ 6 months
Symptoms must have persisted for at least six months with significant impairment of functional capacity.
Primary symptom
Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM)
Worsening after physical or cognitive exertion – often delayed 12–48 hours, disproportionately severe, and prolonged.
Core criterion
Sleep disturbances
Unrefreshing sleep, altered sleep architecture, or hypersomnia – sleep does not relieve the fatigue.
Core criterion
Pain symptoms
Muscle and joint pain, headaches, or diffuse pain that cannot be clearly attributed to another cause.
Core criterion
Neurocognitive symptoms
Brain fog, concentration difficulties, word-finding problems, memory issues – at least two of these must be present.
Min. 1 of 3 categories
Additional symptom categories
- Autonomic symptoms (e.g. POTS, palpitations)
- Neuroendocrine symptoms (thermoregulation)
- Immune symptoms (infection susceptibility)
When it helps, its limits & next steps
Important limits
not a medical diagnosis and not a replacement for exclusion diagnostics
not for emergencies or sudden severe new symptoms
not a standalone lab or treatment decision
After the result
save or summarize the result for a clinician conversation
review PEM and pacing if symptoms worsen after exertion
seek medical evaluation for red flags, acute worsening, or uncertainty
Common questions
Everything about the check
Before you start – the most important answers at a glance.
Can the ME/CFS symptom check diagnose ME/CFS?
No. It structures symptoms against known criteria. ME/CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion and requires medical assessment.
When is this check useful?
It is useful when fatigue, post-exertional worsening, sleep problems, pain, or cognitive symptoms appear together and you want to clarify the pattern.
Why does PEM matter so much?
PEM changes interpretation because symptoms can worsen disproportionately and with delay after physical, cognitive, or emotional exertion.
Which online ME/CFS test is useful?
A useful online check should separate PEM, sleep, pain, cognitive symptoms, and autonomic, neuroendocrine, or immune symptoms. It should also state clearly that it does not diagnose ME/CFS.
What is the difference between the ME/CFS symptom check and FUNCAP-27?
The ME/CFS symptom check structures symptom patterns against clinical criteria. FUNCAP-27 describes functional capacity, daily limits, and severity over time.
Why is fatigue alone not enough for ME/CFS?
Fatigue occurs in many conditions. For ME/CFS, the pattern with PEM, reduced capacity, sleep, pain, and neurocognitive symptoms is more relevant.
Sources and interpretation context
Evidence, framework and further context
Get started
Start your Self-Test.
Free, no account, in a few minutes. Structure your symptoms for your next medical appointment.
Next step
Compare pacing apps for ME/CFS
If you are looking for an app for day-to-day documentation, compare free options, wearable support, pricing and how the available approaches differ from Visible.
Compare pacing apps