Psychosomatic concepts in chronic pain.

Abstract

This self-directed learning module highlights the obstacles faced by physicians treating chronic pain, in particular, the occasional lack of correlation between test results and symptoms, and the treatment pitfalls that may occur. A review of psychosomatic pain disorders is presented along with a psychodynamically based diagnostic and management approach. Popular mind-body treatments for chronic pain are presented with pertinent references. (a) To review the diagnostic and therapeutic limitations of conventional chronic pain management, (b) to explore a psychodynamically based psychosomatic chronic pain diagnostic and therapeutic construct, and (c) to examine several additional mind-body chronic pain treatments.