title: The nature of bodily symptoms.
abstract: Psychiatric descriptions of bodily symptoms have usually been derived from narrowly restricted clinical experience. It is argued that it is more useful to review evidence from all medical settings and occurrence, nature, disability and presentation are here discussed. Syndromes of hypochondriacal reactions appear to be extreme and uncommon manifestations of a universal potential.
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003469:Culture; D004056:Differential Threshold; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000150:complications*; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010551:Personality; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012803:Sick Role; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment