Medically unexplained symptoms: assessment and management

Medically unexplained symptoms or persistent physical symptoms are common, real and are associated with significant distress, loss of functioning and high healthcare costs. History, examination and appropriate investigations are essential to make a diagnosis. Once the diagnosis has been made, exploring the impact of the symptoms helps us to tailor our advice to patients. This paper sets out a practical approach to taking a history, assessment and stepwise management principles.

Automated summary

Medically unexplained symptoms or persistent physical symptoms are common, real, and have significant impact on patients' distress, functioning, and healthcare costs. Proper history, examination, and investigations are essential for diagnosis, followed by tailored advice for managing the symptoms.