Somatoform Disorders

Somatoform Disorders-

-Somatoform Disorders-

-Somatization is a syndrome of physical symptoms that are distressing and may not be explained by a medical condition after a full workup

-Somatoform disorders is an illness with symptoms that were not explained by a general medical condition

-Risk factors for somatization include:  female sex, fewer years of eduction, minority ethnic status, and low socioeconomic status

-Somatization increases the use of medical services independent of any accompanying psychiatric or non psychiatric medical disorder 

-Somatization patients present with a wide array of symptoms including pain, GI symptoms, cardiopulmonary symptoms, neurologic symptoms, and reproductive organ symptoms

-Somatoform Disorders include:

1.  Somatization disorder

2.  Pain disorder

3.  Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder

4.  Hypochondriasis 

5.  Somatoform Disorder NOS

6.  Conversion disorder

7.  Body Dysmorphic Disorder

8.  Somatofrom Autonomic Dysfunction 

9.  Other somatoform disorders

10.  Factitious Disorder

11.  Maligering

12.  Abridged somatization

13.  Multi-somatoform disorder

-Psychotherapy and pharmacologic therapy are each beneficial for patients with somatization

-These treatments may also be combined

-SSRI's have been shown to be beneficial in somatization disorder

-Clinicians should avoid giving opioid analgesics for pain complaints

-Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to treat somatization is most helpful to treat somatization more so than any other psychotherapy