'I can assure you, there is nothing wrong with your kidney'

Normal baseline investigation results in a patient with common symptoms is often labelled as being due to a functional disorder, with all the pejorative connotations that go along with that term. When given the opportunity to see a patient for a second opinion, it is important to retain an open mind rather than assuming previous assessments are correct. Such an attitude helps with both attaining the definitive diagnosis but is also crucial to helping give hope to the patient. Understanding the patient's concerns about the meaning of their symptoms is critical in finding the balance between advanced investigation to identify a putative cause versus a decision to proceed with symptomatic control.

Automated summary

Normal baseline investigation results in a patient with common symptoms are often negatively labeled as functional disorder. It is important to keep an open mind when offering a second opinion to help with accurate diagnosis and provide hope to the patient. Understanding the patient's concerns about the meaning of their symptoms is crucial in finding a balance between identifying a potential cause and deciding on symptomatic control.