The somatoform disorders are a group of psychiatric disorders in which patients present with a myriad of clinically significant but unexplained physical symptoms .
What is an example of a somatic symptom?
Specific sensations, such as pain or shortness of breath , or more general symptoms, such as fatigue or weakness. Unrelated to any medical cause that can be identified, or related to a medical condition such as cancer or heart disease, but more significant than what’s usually expected.
How do you explain somatoform disorder?
Somatoform disorders are characterized by physical sensations and bodily pain caused by mental illness . These symptoms cause a significant amount of distress and may or may not be linked to a medical condition, mental disorder, or other substance abuse condition.
What are examples of somatoform disorders?
- Somatisation disorder.
- Hypochondriasis.
- Conversion disorder.
- Body dysmorphic disorder.
- Pain disorder.
What are the symptoms of somatization disorder?
- Pain. ...
- Neurological symptoms such as headaches, movement disorders, weakness, dizziness, fainting.
- Digestive symptoms such as abdominal pain or bowel problems, diarrhea, incontinence, and constipation.
- Sexual symptoms such as pain during sexual activity or painful periods.
What is the treatment for somatoform disorder?
Natural treatment for somatoform disorder can include stress management and relaxation techniques , regular physical activity, socialization opportunities and avoiding substance use. Other common alternative therapies for somatoform disorders include hypnotherapy, relaxation techniques and somatic experiencing.
Is OCD a somatoform disorder?
Somatic obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an OCD subtype characterized by ongoing intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors around one’s somatic experience — the physical sensations they can’t control.
What are the 5 somatoform disorders?
They include somatization disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, hypochondriasis, conversion disorder, pain disorder, body dysmorphic disorder , and somatoform disorder not otherwise specified.
Is Fibromyalgia a somatic disorder?
In the wider literature, however, including non-US studies, fibromyalgia is considered to be one of a series of “medically unexplained syndromes.” These illnesses are sometimes called somatic symptom disorders (SSD) or functional somatic syndromes because the main symptoms, pain, fatigue, cognitive disturbance, and ...
What are the three somatic symptom disorders?
Some previously distinct somatic disorders— somatization disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, hypochondriasis, and somatoform pain disorder —are now considered somatic symptom disorders. All have common features, including somatization—the expression of mental phenomena as physical (somatic) symptoms.
Can anxiety cause somatic symptoms?
The emotional distress of anxiety is often accompanied by specific physical symptoms associated with a state of autonomic arousal, such as sweating, dizziness, and shortness of breath (most notable in patients with panic attacks), or more generalized somatic complaints, such as insomnia, restlessness, and muscle aches ...
Is psychosomatic illness real?
Psychosomatic disorder is a psychological condition . It leads to physical symptoms, usually without any other medical explanation or diagnosis. It can affect almost any part of the body. People with somatic symptoms often seek frequent medical attention for tests and treatments.
Which is common to all somatoform disorders?
According to DSM IV, in somatoform disorders the common feature is “ presence of physical symptoms which suggest a general medical condition and are not fully explained by general medical condition, substance use or another mental disorder”.
What is the main cause of somatic pain?
Somatic pain occurs when pain receptors in tissues (including the skin, muscles, skeleton, joints, and connective tissues) are activated . Typically, stimuli such as force, temperature, vibration, or swelling activate these receptors. This type of pain is often described as: cramping.
Can the mind create physical symptoms?
So if you’re experiencing unexplained aches and pains, it might be linked to your mental health. According to Carla Manley, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author, people with mental illnesses can experience a range of physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, pain, headaches, insomnia, and feelings of restlessness .
What is the best medicine for somatoform disorder?
A recent clinical trial in China found a combination of the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) citalopram with the atypical antidepressant paliperidone to be more effective than citalopram alone for the treatment of a group of mixed group of somatoform disorder subjects.
