What is PEM?
PEM stands for post-exertional malaise (pronounced ma-LEH-eez). It is defined as an increase in symptoms (for example, fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, headaches, body aches) after what doesn’t seem like a lot of activity.
The activity can be:
-
physical (like taking a walk or getting dressed)
-
cognitive (like doing paperwork or spending time in a busy environment)
-
social/emotional (like attending a dinner party or taking a phone call)
It might seem like you feel a lot more fatigue and overall symptoms than you think you should, based on the level of effort or time you spend doing an activity.
If you are not sure if you have PEM, you can talk to a healthcare provider about doing a screening for PEM or your healthcare provider may ask you to complete a questionnaire to screen for PEM. Please see the Canadian Guideline for Post COVID-19 Condition (CAN-PCC) recommendation for the use of questionnaires to screen for PEM/PESE.