Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Question 1

Fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain

Answer 1

Malingering

Question 2

• Multiple physical SYMPTOMS which present for at least 2 years
• Refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results.

Answer 2

Somatsiation disorder

Question 3

• Persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious DISEASE.
• Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative tests.

Answer 3

Hypochondrial disorder

Question 4

• A process of ‘separating off’ certain memories from normal consciousness
• In contrast to conversion disorder involves psychiatric symptoms e.g. Amnesia, fugue, stupor
• Multiple personality disorder used to be the name for the most severe form of this disorder.

Answer 4

Dissociative disorder

Question 5

• Typically involves loss of motor or sensory function
• The patient doesn’t consciously feign the symptoms (factitious disorder) or seek material gain (malingering)
• Patients may be indifferent to their apparent disorder - la belle indifference - although this has not been backed up by some studies

Answer 5

Conversion disorder

Question 6

• The patient will have the intentional production of physical or psychological symptoms.
• Also known as factitious disorder.

Answer 6

Munchausen’s syndrome

Question 7

What is the difference between hypochondrial disorder and somatisation disorder?

Answer 7

They both refuse to accept tests!!

BUT

In hypochondrial disorder the patient focuses on a DISEASE whilst in somatisation disorder the patient focuses on SYMPTOMS.

Question 8

What is the difference between Munchausen’s syndrome (factitious disorder) and Conversion disorder?

Answer 8

In Munchausen’s Syndrome they are deliberately producing symptoms whilst in Conversion Disorder they aren’t aware they are doing it.