Somatoform Pain Disorder

Somatoform Pain Disorder – General Information

Generally, Somatoform Pain Disorder is a condition characterized by the appearance of one or more physical discomforts which many doctors do not know exactly their physical pathology or pathophysiologic mechanism. The main sign of the disease, pain is a symptom considered specific for this kind of disease. In most cases, the pain causes distress, impairment in certain domains such as academic, occupational or social. Usually, the pain is not produced voluntarily and can be worsen by several conditions, or only by certain moods such as anxiety. This kind of medical condition is usually classified in two major categories that can include, pain associated with certain psychological risk factors which can have an important role in the onset, severity, exacerbation and maintenance of the patient’s signs and symptoms, and pain associated with certain medical conditions which can also interfere with the patient’s medical evolution during the treatment.

If the Somatoform Pain Disorder is not treated properly it can cause several physical effects that can include emotional distress that can lead to muscular discomforts, headaches and increased muscular tension, or psychologically induced changes in the patient’s behavior (prolonged bed rest or compulsive activity that can worsen the present signs and symptoms and can slow the curing process). In most cases, the disease tends to affect more female patients than male patients and the difference is usually observed in childhood. Somatoform Pain Disorder can also affect more young patients than adult patients; usually, all the signs and symptoms tend to be more severe in young patients.

Somatoform Pain Disorder – Symptoms

In diagnosing the disease, it is very important for the doctors to know exactly the patient’s medical history, and search for clues that can lead to this kind of condition. Usually, the doctor can obtain a history of physical symptoms from the patient’s parents or children, and the most common findings can include: history in anxiety, depression, psychiatric disorders, somatization and preoccupation with illness, chronic physical illness in one of the patient’s parents, academic difficulties experienced in past, problems with peer relationships, and a disorganized chaotic family. In most cases, to fully diagnose and treat the Somatoform Pain Disorder the doctor has to consider the following factors: the onset of the first signs and symptoms, the exacerbation associated with stressful events, relief of certain signs and symptoms after removing the stress factors, pain out of proportion to objective medical researches, disability or certain handicap that can be associated with pain, and secondary gain.

The most common symptom of the Somatoform Pain Disorder is pain that can be closely examined in hospitals under specialized diagnosing procedures. There are many theories that can regard the disease’s causes and can include certain biologic factors, past stressful events, trauma or abuse, learning from others behavior, emotions and communication, environmental and social influences, and family distress, which can follow certain transactional patterns such as enmeshment, overprotection, rigidity and lack of conflict resolution. It is very important to treat Somatoform Pain Disorder in early stages of development to prevent complications and to increase the cure rate.

Somatoform Pain Disorder – Treatment

In most cases, the available treatment for Somatoform Pain Disorder can differ depending on each individual and on the main cause. Usually, the doctors can perform certain laboratory studies and imaging studies that can be associated with certain medical conditions that can cause this kind of disease. There are a number of prerequisite conditions that have to be considered during the diagnosing procedure and can include timely, thorough medical evaluation, interview and observation of the patient’s family regarding any psychological problems, early mention of several stress signs, and discuss of negative medical side effects. It is very important for the doctor to perform a mental health exam, and, in almost all the cases, it also requires certain procedures such as quantifying the patient’s signs and symptoms, observation scales that can be usually performed on young patients, symptoms questionnaires for older patients, screening instruments that can help identify patients that suffer from somatic symptoms and certain disorders, and projective tests that can be useful clarifying any psychological causes.

There are cases in which the doctor, to help treating the Somatoform Pain Disorder, can perform psychoeducational tests especially for patients that present academic difficulties and prolonged school absence. In most cases, the treatment for Somatoform Pain Disorder is based on family education and its main goals can include improved family functioning, dealing successfully with anxiety that can be caused by pain, decreasing the patient’s manifestations also caused by pain, learning strategies that can control the patient’s signs and symptoms and their reaction to pain, and limiting the medical testing that is usually not helpful and necessary. It is important to know that these goals are not always achieved in all the patients, but good medical care and patient’s cooperation can lead to great improvement.

There are certain types of treatment that can be used to treat Somatoform Pain Disorder and can include counseling, relaxation training such as progressive muscle relaxation or induced self hypnosis, behavioral methods such as behavioral cognitive therapy, biofeedback and family therapy that usually focus on communication and appropriate responses. There are also cases in which, to improve the patient’s health status, doctors choose to treat the comorbid conditions that can cause the disease and can include anxiety and depression. Usually, these tests and treating procedures are made by specialists who are skilled in treating this kind of condition and other specific medical disorders and can include a neurologist who can handle the chronic headache, and a gastroenterologist who can improve the patient’s chronic abdominal pain.

When treating Somatoform Pain Disorder it is very important how the patient cooperates with the medical staff, and with his own family, especially when the individual also suffers from other medical conditions that can worsen his health. Treating the disease in an early stage of development can decrease the rate of morbidity and increase the curing rate. Trcyclic antidepressants are usually preferred by the health care providers, for example amitriptyline, prescribed as Vanatrip, Elavil or Endep. It is important to avoid losing a dose or overdosing.