Three illustrated people protest against false medical claims, with text reading "Ear Seeds Do Not Cure Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" and symbols of rejection like ‘NO’ signs, stop hands, and protest icons.

The Truth About Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Ear Seeds: Why Dragons’ Den Got It So Wrong

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is not a trend. It’s a serious, life-altering illness—and it’s time we speak up

Living with ME: What It’s Really Like

I’ve lived with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) since 2012. It’s a complex, multi-system illness that affects millions worldwide. Far from just being “tired,” ME is characterised by:

  • Debilitating fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest

  • Chronic pain in muscles and joints

  • Cognitive dysfunction (also known as “brain fog”)

  • Post-exertional malaise – a worsening of symptoms after even minimal physical or mental effort

This illness has changed every part of my life, and yet, awareness and understanding remain heartbreakingly low.

 

Dragons’ Den, Ear Seeds & Misinformation

Recently, on a popular episode of BBC’s Dragons’ Den, a product called ear seeds was presented as a potential “cure” for ME. As someone who lives with this illness every day, and as part of the ME community, I was outraged.

💬 Let’s be clear: There is currently no cure for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Presenting any product—especially something not backed by scientific evidence—as a cure is not just misleading, it’s dangerous. It can:

  • Encourage false hope

  • Undermine scientific research

  • Spread misinformation to millions

Why This Matters: The Real Impact of Health Misinformation

The Dragons’ Den incident has highlighted a much bigger issue: how misinformation about chronic illness spreads so easily in mainstream media.

This cannot happen again.

Here’s what we need to push for:

  1. Increased research funding into ME to help uncover causes and treatments

  2. Better education for healthcare professionals about ME and other invisible illnesses

  3. Responsible media representation, especially on large platforms with public trust

We Deserve Better: Let’s Change the Narrative

Too often, people with invisible illnesses like ME are dismissed, misunderstood, or ignored. That’s why I speak up—because our stories matter.

🎥 I spoke about this on my YouTube channel:
👉 Watch the video here

Every view, share, and like helps raise awareness and calls for change. You can help just by spreading the word.

Need Support or Someone to Talk To?

If you’re living with ME and feeling isolated, please don’t suffer in silence.
💌 Reach out to me here – you’re not alone.

Stay Connected & Join the Movement

Let’s keep fighting for awareness, funding, and respect.

🔗 Connect with me:

🫶 Support my mission to raise awareness of life with chronic illness and disability:
🌐 Visit alishawhittam.com

Trusted Sources for ME/CFS Information

Love Always 

Alisha ❤️

Picture of Alisha

Alisha

Proud Wife, Mother and Nanna . We married 19 years ago in Rome, Italy surrounded by our friends and family. We have the most beautiful, caring, considerate daughter, she makes us proud every single day. I am nan to Alfie, our Black Labrador and he is my best friend in all the world, I love how he understands that just laying next to me is all I need on a bad day and on a good day well it is cuddles and kisses galore. Liverpool born & bred, I never had enough guts to ever move away. Maybe it’s on my cards in the future. I have an illness that has destroyed my life, that illness has led me to blog my life with no filter. I put everything into raising awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and I would do anything to make sure no one else has to feel the way that I do. We have fun in our little home and I do anything to make my family happy. Love meeting new people over the web and hearing their stories. I Love making new friends and just trying to make a difference in this world.
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A recent Dragons’ Den episode pitched ear seeds as a cure for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis—an illness I live with every day. Here’s why that claim is not only wrong, but dangerous. Let’s raise awareness, push for better education, and demand accurate health information in the media.
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What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

According to the NHS Website, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness

For more information please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/

People with ME/CFS have fatigue that is very different from just being tired. The fatigue of ME/CFS:

  • Can be severe.
  • Is not a result of unusually difficult activity.
  • Is not relieved by sleep or rest.
  • Was not a problem before becoming ill (not life-long)

Worsening of ME/CFS symptoms after physical or mental activity that would not have caused a problem before illness. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Sleep problems.

Many but not all people with ME/CFS have other symptoms.

Pain is very common in people with ME/CFS. The type of pain, where it occurs, and how bad it is varies a lot. The pain people with ME/CFS feel is not caused by an injury. The most common types of pain in ME/CFS are:

  • Muscle pain and aches
  • Joint pain without swelling or redness
  • Headaches, either new or worsening

Some people with ME/CFS may also have:

  • Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits
  • A sore throat that happens often
  • Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome
  • Chills and night sweats
  • Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, light, or noise
  • Muscle weakness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Irregular heartbeat
Information is taken from The CDC Website https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis does not have a cure.

Find a Dr or Consultant who listens to you is the first step

It is a manageable condition and depending on the severity of your symptoms the more difficult this can become.

I advise learning to listen to your body and what it is telling you. If you feel tired rest and if you feel pain find a solution to reduce that pain, this could be through pain medication prescribed by your Dr.

I am not saying that finding a Dr who listens or listening to your body is going to be easy as this illness is incredibly complex for some and manageable for others.

Having a Dr who listens to you or reads about the latest drug that sufferers are recommending can take a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety from the sufferer.

It would be best for me to point you to the above question What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis? 

Most pages list the illness as ME/CFS or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or sometimes even Systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID).

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