text: The Importance of Listening in Treating Invisible Illness and Long Haul COVID 19 Primary and specialty care clinicians strive to base diagnoses and treatment on specific measurable abnormalities Yet those with invisible controversial illnesses such as myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome ME CFS often have symptoms not explained by standard laboratory values For instance one of the cardinal features of ME CFS is postexertional malaise the exacerbation of symptoms fatigue pain cognitive dysfunction following exertion which contradicts studies showing the health benefits of exercise In these cases overly physicalist approaches to caring for patients are not likely to be helpful and a clinicians willingness to listen to a patients experience of illness becomes essential 