Somatic Pain Anxiety | safe4cure

Somatic Pain Anxiety | safe4cure

A diagnosis of somatic pain anxiety is made when a person places a great deal of emphasis on bodily symptoms like pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath to the point where it causes them great suffering and/or functional difficulties. The person overreacts to the physical symptoms in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

What is somatic symptom disorder?

Somatic symptom disorder is characterised by an obsession with physical sensations and symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

Earlier names for this ailment were somatoform disorder and somatization disorder. It's characterised by the conviction that you have a medical ailment even if you haven't received a diagnosis and despite assurances from your doctor that there is no underlying medical condition causing your symptoms.

When your doctor and individuals in your immediate environment don't think your symptoms are real, this can cause serious mental stress.

What are some causes for each type of pain?

Somatic pain

Because somatic pain occurs from a variety of sources, it has many different potential causes. These include:

• a small or large injury to joints or bones
• any trauma or cut to the skin
• a fall or collision that damages connective tissues
• a strained muscle due to excessive use
• a bone fracture
• diseases that affect connective tissues such as osteoporosis
• cancers that affect the bones or skin
• arthritis that leads to swelling in the joints

Visceral pain

Visceral pain occurs when there is damage or disruption to internal organs and tissues. Causes include the following:

• injuries to internal organs, such as the gallbladder, intestines, bladder, or kidneys
• damage to the core muscles or abdominal wall
• spasms in the core muscles
• acid indigestion
• other digestive problems such as constipation
• infections in the digestive and renal systems
• problems in specific organs such as the pancreas or liver
• cancer that affects internal organs such as stomach cancer

How is it diagnosed?

Your doctor will first perform a thorough physical examination on you to look for any indications of a physical ailment before diagnosing you with somatic symptom disorder.

You'll likely be referred to a mental health professional if they don't discover any indications of a medical illness. The mental health expert will start by questioning you about your:

• detailing your symptoms and how long you've had them
• family background
• stresses' sources
• if any past history of substance abuse

You could be required to answer questions on your symptoms and way of life in a questionnaire as well. An expert in mental health will place more emphasis on how you perceive your symptoms than the symptoms themselves.

You’ll likely be diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder if you:

• experience one or more physical symptoms that cause distress or interfere with your everyday activities
• have excessive or endless thoughts about how serious your symptoms are, causing you to give too much time and energy to evaluating your health
• continue to experience symptoms for six months or more, even if these symptoms change over time

Treatment

Pain is complicated and incredibly personal. As a result, managing discomfort can be challenging. By addressing the underlying cause(s) of pain, physicians can treat both somatic and visceral pain. For instance, if a patient has osteoarthritis, a doctor may recommend one of several drugs to treat the condition’s symptoms.