Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Question 1

What are MUS?

Answer 1

Physical complaints without evidence of underlying organic cause

Question 2

What is somatisation?

Answer 2

unconscious expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms

Question 3

What cognitive model explains MUS?

Answer 3

Individual interprets their normal physiology in a way that creates anxiety and perpetuates their symptoms

They have selective attention for the problem, leading to acute awareness of this

This maintains anxiety long term

e.g. with palpitations, convinced there are having heart attach

Question 4

What conditions do MUS present as

Answer 4

rheum: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome
GI: IBS
otolarontology: dizziness, tintinnus
palpitation
Gulf war syndrome
pain clinic: headache, pelvic pain, lower back pain

Question 5

What is factitious disorder?

Answer 5

Deliberate production of symptoms to receive psychological reward /attention / sympathy

Question 6

What is extreme factitious disorder called?

Answer 6

Munchausen

Question 7

What is malingering?

Answer 7

Deliberate production of symptoms to obtain external reward (e.g. money, drugs)

Question 8

How do you manage MUS?

Answer 8

Therapeutic assessment

Explain and reassure

Question 9

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

Answer 9

Extreme fatigue arising spontaneously or from glandular fever
Leads to debilitating fatigue

Question 10

What is Conversion disorder

Answer 10

When an internal conflict (stress) is unconsciously COVERTED to neuro symptoms

Question 11

What symptoms occur with conversion disorder

Answer 11

NEURO

• weakness / paralysis or limb(s)
• bllindness
• aphonia (inability to speak)
• Seizures
• amnesia