Psychiatric consultation in the chronic pain patient.
A process and technique for psychiatric evaluation of chronic pain patients are discussed. It is the task of a psychiatrist to rule in or rule out a psychiatric component rather than to assume the existence of "psychogenic" pain when there is a negative medical and surgical examination. Accurate communications about any psychiatric components to the referring physician, without premature judgment on "cause" of pain, lead to themost accurate decisions about future treatment.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation