Medically unexplained symptoms refer to any discomfort that may not appear to indicate a certain medical illness. These persist for more than a few weeks, wherein doctors cannot identify the possible reasons behind them. However, this doesn’t mean that they are not accurate and that they’re simply “all in your brain.” Most of them are real and can interfere with your usual work.
SYMPTOMS
Some of the most common medically unexplained symptoms include:
DIAGNOSIS
A complete physical examination and diagnostic testing are conducted. The types of tests performed are dictated by the symptoms present.
It should also carry out a psychiatric assessment to rule out possible co-occurring illnesses. Finding evidence of a mental disorder, on the other hand, does not rule out somatisation. Nevertheless, it may provide insight into the diagnosis.
Patients with prevalent mental diseases, including depression and anxiety disorders, have been shown to report to primary care physicians with nonspecific physical symptoms, such as tiredness, aches and pains, palpitations, dizziness, and nausea.
Many MUS individuals seek treatment in the hopes of discovering an organic ailment that they do not have. Doctors can then check for (non-existent) organic illnesses and even treat them. It results in excessive services, unneeded laboratory testing and consultation, higher expenses, and a high risk of iatrogenic complications, such as ill-advised diagnostics, drug addiction, and experimental therapies for supposed but non-existent biological disorders.
TREATMENT
Treatment possibilities include:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This employs problem-solving approaches to aid in understanding and managing symptoms and exploring how mental illnesses, like anxiety and depression, may be producing physical symptoms.
Behavioral activation. It is a method of planning activities and establishing pleasant daily routines. A more positive mindset increases self-confidence and a sense of well-being, resulting in a reduction in symptoms and a more proactive attitude to dealing with life’s obstacles.
Medication. This can be used in conjunction with psychotherapy to assist MUS, especially if symptoms of sadness and anxiety are persistent. Other antidepressants, anxiolytics, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be utilised. These help to alleviate sadness, as well as anxiety.
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