The medically unexplained revisited.
Medicine is facing wide-ranging challenges concerning the so-called medically unexplained disorders. The epidemiology is confusing, different medical specialties claim ownership of their unexplained territory and the unexplained conditions are themselves promoted through a highly complicated and sophisticated use of language. Confronting the outcome, i.e. numerous medical acronyms, we reflect upon principles of systematizing, contextual and social considerations and ways of thinking about these phenomena. Finally we address what we consider to be crucial dimensions concerning the landscape of unexplained "matters"; fatigued being, pain-full being and dys-ordered being, all expressive momentums of an aesthetic of resistance.
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. thor.eirik.eriksen@unn.no
Thor Eirik
TE
Eriksen
Anna Luise
AL
Kirkengen
Arne Johan
AJ
Vetlesen
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D015995:Prevalence; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*