Patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Complaints

Document Type : Continuous Medical Education

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are symptoms that are not explained by an organic disease. MUS are common in all medical settings; as many as 50% of patients who visit the general practitioners have some degree of these symptoms. Unexplained symptoms can cause significant distress for the patients and their families, and in some circumstances impair functioning. Continuation of symptoms and resistance to routine treatments may cause significant distress and disrupt the physician-patient relationship.

Keywords

References

  1. Page LA, Wessely S. Medically unexplained symptoms: exacerbating factors in the doctor-patient encounter. J R Soc Med 2003; 96(5): 223-7.
  2. Stephenson DT, Price JR. Medically unexplained physical symptoms in emergency medicine. Emerg Med J 2006; 23(8): 595-600.
  3. Kirmayer LJ, Groleau D, Looper KJ, Dao MD. Explaining medically unexplained symptoms. Can J Psychiatry 2004; 49(10): 663-72.
  4. Kroenke K, Rosmalen JG. Symptoms, syndromes, and the value of psychiatric diagnostics in patients who have functional somatic disorders. Med Clin North Am 2006; 90(4): 603-26.
  5. Khan M. Medically unexplained symptoms. Pakistan Journal of neurological science 2007; 2(3): 3-5.
  6. Kellner R, Sheffield BF. The one-week prevalence of symptoms in neurotic patients and normal’s. Am J Psychiatry 1973; 130(1): 102-5.
  7. Baldwin RC, Chiu E, World Psychiatric Association, Section of Affective Disorders. Guidelines on depression in older people: practising the evidence. New York: Taylor & Francis; 2002.
  8. Simon GE, VonKorff M, Piccinelli M, Fullerton C, Ormel J. An international study of the relation between somatic symptoms and depression. N Engl J Med 1999; 341(18): 1329-35.
  9. Tylee A, Gandhi P. The importance of somatic symptoms in depression in primary care. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2005; 7(4): 167-76.
  10. Trivedi MH. The link between depression and physical symptoms. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2004; 6(Suppl 1): 12-6.
  11. Mobaraki GH, Ahmad Zadeh GH, Shisheforoush SH. Somatization among Iranian psychiatric patients. Actas Esp Psiquiatr 2011; (29): 175.
  12. Ahmad Zadeh GH, Karim Zadeh T, Ghassemi R. The phemo menology of depression: Iranian scenario. Actas Esp Psiquiatr 2001; (29): 231.
  13. Kessler D, Bennewith O, Lewis G, Sharp D. Detection of depression and anxiety in primary care: follow up study. BMJ 2002; 325(7371): 1016-7.
  14. De Waal MW, Arnold IA, Eekhof JA, van Hemert AM. Somatoform disorders in general practice: prevalence, functional impairment and comorbidity with anxiety and depressive disorders. Br J Psychiatry 2004; 184: 470-6.
  15. Rosendal M, Olesen F, Fink P. Management of medically unexplained symptoms. BMJ 2005; 330(7481): 4-5.
  16. MC Carrom R. Of Ethic virtual mentor. Am med Ass J 2008; 107: 447-52.
  17. Guthrie E, Thompson D. Abdominal pain and functional gastrointestinal disorders. BMJ 2002; 325(7366): 701-3.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 29, Issue 161 - Serial Number 161
September and October 2011
Pages 1874-1882

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 24 November 2010
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics