Somatization in response to undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder in a family.
BACKGROUND
Somatization is a common problem in primary care and often presents puzzling problems for the family physician. A family or contextual approach is often useful in investigating and treating refractory symptoms.


METHODS
A 63 year-old patient presented to his family physician with recurrent episodes of syncope, weakness and various other somatic symptoms. Lengthy clinical investigations found no organic pathological findings but a brief family assessment by the family physician revealed that the patient's wife was the "hidden" patient. Successful treatment of the patient's wife led to full recovery for both.


CONCLUSIONS
Exploration and treatment of the family context may often hold the key to the solution of difficult problems in somatizing patients.
Weiss
Rachel
R
Department of Family Medicine, Emek Hospital, Afula, Israel. alexw@actcom.co.il
Fogelman
Yacov
Y
Yaphe
John
J
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic