Detecting physical disorders in emotionally disturbed patients.
Comprehensive assessment of physical and emotional conditions in patients with functional complaints is important. Physical disorders are sometimes overlooked in mentally ill patients, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and possibly irreversible changes. Clues to physical causes of functional complaints include an atypical clinical presentation, behavior that is out of character, a lack of demonstrable secondary gain, and multiple target-organ symptoms.
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford.
M E
ME
Herring
J
J
Ross
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*