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Updated: Jan 12, 2026
Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research
Published on: January 5, 2024
Chronic Pain Prevalence, Characteristics, and Impact in United States Adults With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic
Jenna L Adamowicz1, Zoe Sirotiak2, Dora Lendvai1
1Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Purpose:
To determine the prevalence of chronic pain, describe characteristics of chronic pain, and examine the impact of chronic pain on quality-of-life in United States adults with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
Design:
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey.
Methods:
Survey weights and variance estimation variables were employed. Pain duration over the past 3 months was used to determine whether individuals with CFS/ME were experiencing chronic pain. Rao-Scott chi-square test examined group-based differences between those with CFS/ME and chronic pain to those with chronic pain without CFS/ME across pain characteristics (intensity, location, limitations) and three quality-of-life domains (psychological health, general health, life satisfaction).
Results:
The proportion of United States adults who reported having CFS/ME was 1.4% (weighted). Of those with CFS/ME, 70.7% (weighted) met study criteria for chronic pain. Pain was common across multiple body locations among those with comorbid CFS/ME and chronic pain, and impacted multiple domains of functioning, including life/work activities and family relationships. Relative to those with chronic pain without CFS/ME, individuals with CFS/ME and chronic pain were significantly more likely to have positive results on depression and anxiety screeners, and report fair/poor general health and life dissatisfaction (ps < .05).
Conclusions:
Chronic pain is common among individuals with CFS/ME and is associated with diminished quality-of-life. Although not all individuals with CFS/ME experience chronic pain, a prominent proportion do.
Clinical Implications:
For those with comorbid CFS/ME and chronic pain, interventions targeting the management of multiple symptoms may be particularly important.
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