RT Journal
A1 Goodwin DW
T1 PSychiatry and the mysterious medical complaint
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1969
FD September 22
VO 209
IS 12
SP 1884
OP 1888
DO 10.1001/jama.1969.03160250040009
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1969.03160250040009
AB When patients complain of pain or some other physical symptom, and no physical cause can be found, it is not enough to suggest that the symptom is functional or psychological. The physician should rule out three psychiatric disorders in which unexplained physical symptoms often dominate the clinical picture. These are hysteria, anxiety neurosis, and depression. Each is a definite syndrome with specific diagnostic criteria and a well-documented natural history. Hysteria and anxiety neurosis often can be managed as successfully by an internist or general practitioner as by a psychiatrist. Depression more often justifies a psychiatric referral. "Functional" symptoms which cannot be attributed to one of these syndromes often warrant further search for an organic cause.