Changes

'''Psychosomatic''' medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field [[studying]] the [[relationships]] of [[social]], [[psychological]], and [[behavioral]] factors on [[bodily]] [[processes]] and well-being in [[humans]] and [[animals]]. The [[influence]] that the [[mind]] has over [[physical]] processes including the [[manifestations]] of physical disabilities that are based on [[intellectual]] infirmities, rather than actual injuries or [[physical]] [[limitations]], are manifest in phrases such as the [[power]] of suggestion, the use of "positive [[thinking]]" and concepts like "mind over matter".

'''Psychosomatic''' medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field [[studying]] the [[relationships]] of [[social]], [[psychological]], and [[behavioral]] factors on [[bodily]] [[processes]] and well-being in [[humans]] and [[animals]]. The [[influence]] that the [[mind]] has over [[physical]] processes including the [[manifestations]] of physical disabilities that are based on [[intellectual]] infirmities, rather than actual injuries or [[physical]] [[limitations]], are manifest in phrases such as the [[power]] of suggestion, the use of "positive [[thinking]]" and concepts like "mind over matter".

The [[academic]] forebear of the modern field of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_medicine behavioral medicine] and a part of the [[practice]] of consultation-[[liaison]] [[psychiatry]]. Psychosomatic medicine integrates interdisciplinary evaluation and [[management]] involving [[diverse]] specialties including psychiatry, [[psychology]], neurology, surgery, allergy, dermatology and psychoneuroimmunology. Clinical situations where mental processes act as a major factor affecting medical outcomes are areas where psychosomatic medicine has competence.[1] A major European textbook on psychosomatic medicine (over 1000 pp, six German editions) is the one edited by Thure von Uexküll.

The [[academic]] forebear of the modern field of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_medicine behavioral medicine] and a part of the [[practice]] of consultation-[[liaison]] [[psychiatry]]. Psychosomatic medicine integrates interdisciplinary evaluation and [[management]] involving [[diverse]] specialties including psychiatry, [[psychology]], neurology, surgery, allergy, dermatology and psychoneuroimmunology. Clinical situations where mental processes act as a major factor affecting medical outcomes are areas where psychosomatic medicine has competence.[1] A major European textbook on psychosomatic medicine (over 1000 pp, six German editions) is the one edited by Thure von Uexküll.

==History of psychosomatics==

==History of psychosomatics==

In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age medieval Islamic world] the Muslim psychologist-physicians [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_ibn_Sahl_al-Balkhi Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi (d. 934) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_ibn_Abbas_al-Majusi Haly Abbas] (d. 994) [[developed]] an early [[understanding]] of illness that was due to the [[interaction]] of the [[mind]] and the [[body]]. They realized how a patient's [[physiology]] and [[psychology]] can have an [[effect]] on one another. They found correlations between patients who were physically and mentally healthy and between those who were physically and mentally ill.[3] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avicenna Avicenna] (980-1037) recognized 'physiological psychology' in the treatment of illnesses involving [[emotions]], and developed a [[system]] for associating [[changes]] in the pulse rate with inner [[feelings]] which is seen as an anticipation of the [[word]] [[association]] test later developed by [[Carl Jung]].

In the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age medieval Islamic world] the Muslim psychologist-physicians [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_ibn_Sahl_al-Balkhi Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi (d. 934) and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_ibn_Abbas_al-Majusi Haly Abbas] (d. 994) [[developed]] an early [[understanding]] of illness that was due to the [[interaction]] of the [[mind]] and the [[body]]. They realized how a patient's [[physiology]] and [[psychology]] can have an [[effect]] on one another. They found correlations between patients who were physically and mentally healthy and between those who were physically and mentally ill.[3] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avicenna Avicenna] (980-1037) recognized 'physiological psychology' in the treatment of illnesses involving [[emotions]], and developed a [[system]] for associating [[changes]] in the pulse rate with inner [[feelings]] which is seen as an anticipation of the [[word]] [[association]] test later developed by [[Carl Jung]].

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Alexander Franz Alexander] led in the beginnings of the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century], the movement looking for the [[dynamic]] interrelation between [[mind]] and [[body]]. [[Sigmund Freud]] pursued a deep interest in psychosomatic illnesses following his correspondence with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Groddeck Georg Groddeck] who was, at the time, [[research]]ing the [[possibility]] of treating physical disorders through psychological [[processes]].

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Alexander Franz Alexander] led in the beginnings of the [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century], the movement looking for the [[dynamic]] interrelation between [[mind]] and [[body]]. [[Sigmund Freud]] pursued a deep interest in psychosomatic illnesses following his correspondence with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Groddeck Georg Groddeck] who was, at the time, [[research]]ing the [[possibility]] of treating physical disorders through psychological [[processes]].

Since the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970's 1970s], due to the [[work]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thure_von_Uexk%C3%BCll Thure von Uexküll] and his [[colleagues]] in Germany and elsewhere, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosemiotics biosemiotic] [[theory]] has been used as a theoretical basis for psychosomatic medicine. Particularly, the umwelt concept and the [[theory]] of [[organism]] by Jakob von Uexküll has been found useful as an approach to describe psychosomatic [[phenomena]].

Since the [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970's 1970s], due to the [[work]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thure_von_Uexk%C3%BCll Thure von Uexküll] and his [[colleagues]] in Germany and elsewhere, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosemiotics biosemiotic] [[theory]] has been used as a theoretical basis for psychosomatic medicine. Particularly, the umwelt concept and the [[theory]] of [[organism]] by Jakob von Uexküll has been found useful as an approach to describe psychosomatic [[phenomena]].

==Psychosomatic disorders==

==Psychosomatic disorders==

Some [[physical]] diseases are believed to have a mental component derived from the [[stresses]] and strains of everyday living. This is the case, for example, of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_back_pain lower back pain] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_blood_pressure high blood pressure], that appears to be partly related to stresses in everyday life.. Psychiatry has found it [[difficult]] until [[relatively]] recently to distinguish somatoform disorders, disorders in which mental factors are the sole cause of a physical illness, from psychosomatic disorders, disorders in which mental factors play a significant role in the [[development]], [[expression]], or resolution of a [[physical]] [[Disease|illness]]. For instance, while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peptic_ulcer peptic ulcer] was once thought of as being [[purely]] caused by [[stress]], later [[research]] revealed that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori Helicobacter pylori] caused 80% of ulcers. However 4 out of 5 people infected with Helicobacter pylori do not develop ulcers, and an expert panel convened by the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research concluded that ulcers are not merely an [[infectious]] disease and that mental factors do play a significant role. One possibility is that stress promotes Helicobacter pylori infection in the [[body]].

Some [[physical]] diseases are believed to have a mental component derived from the [[stresses]] and strains of everyday living. This is the case, for example, of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_back_pain lower back pain] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_blood_pressure high blood pressure], that appears to be partly related to stresses in everyday life.. Psychiatry has found it [[difficult]] until [[relatively]] recently to distinguish somatoform disorders, disorders in which mental factors are the sole cause of a physical illness, from psychosomatic disorders, disorders in which mental factors play a significant role in the [[development]], [[expression]], or resolution of a [[physical]] [[Disease|illness]]. For instance, while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peptic_ulcer peptic ulcer] was once thought of as being [[purely]] caused by [[stress]], later [[research]] revealed that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylori Helicobacter pylori] caused 80% of ulcers. However 4 out of 5 people infected with Helicobacter pylori do not develop ulcers, and an expert panel convened by the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research concluded that ulcers are not merely an [[infectious]] disease and that mental factors do play a significant role. One possibility is that stress promotes Helicobacter pylori infection in the [[body]].

It is still difficult to classify some disorders as [[purely]] [[physical]], mixed psychosomatic, or purely somatoform. One example is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome Irritable Bowel Syndrome] (IBS) that was considered formerly as having [[purely]] mental causes, while subsequent [[research]] showed significant [[differences]] in the [[behavior]] of the gut in IBS patients. On the other hand, there are no actual [[structural]] changes in IBS patients and research shows that [[stress]] and [[emotions]] are still significant factors in causing IBS.[8]. However, while it is [[necessary]] to identify if an illness has a physical basis, it is recognized more and more that the effort to identify disorders as purely physical or mixed psychosomatic is increasingly obsolete as almost all physical illness have mental factors that determine their onset, presentation, maintenance, susceptibility to treatment, and resolution. Addressing such factors is the remit of the applied field of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_medicine behavioral medicine]. In modern [[society]], psychosomatic aspects of illness are often attributed to [[stress]] making the remediation of stress one important factor in the development, treatment, and prevention of psychosomatic illness.

It is still difficult to classify some disorders as [[purely]] [[physical]], mixed psychosomatic, or purely somatoform. One example is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_Bowel_Syndrome Irritable Bowel Syndrome] (IBS) that was considered formerly as having [[purely]] mental causes, while subsequent [[research]] showed significant [[differences]] in the [[behavior]] of the gut in IBS patients. On the other hand, there are no actual [[structural]] changes in IBS patients and research shows that [[stress]] and [[emotions]] are still significant factors in causing IBS.[8]. However, while it is [[necessary]] to identify if an illness has a physical basis, it is recognized more and more that the effort to identify disorders as purely physical or mixed psychosomatic is increasingly obsolete as almost all physical illness have mental factors that determine their onset, presentation, maintenance, susceptibility to treatment, and resolution. Addressing such factors is the remit of the applied field of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_medicine behavioral medicine]. In modern [[society]], psychosomatic aspects of illness are often attributed to [[stress]] making the remediation of stress one important factor in the development, treatment, and prevention of psychosomatic illness.

==Connotations of the term "psychosomatic illness"==

==Connotations of the term "psychosomatic illness"==

Psychosomatic medicine is not to be confused with the demotic and scientifically incorrect use of the phrase "psychosomatic illness" to apply to illnesses that are now called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatoform_disorder somatoform disorders]. Such illness is classified as neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Statistical_Classification_of_Diseases_and_Related_Health_Problems International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems]. The field of psychosomatic medicine fell into disrepute clinically due to this incorrect use of this term, which was largely due to the [[influence]] of [[psychoanalytic]] [[theory]] on psychiatric physicians and the inaccurate application by non-specialists in the first part of the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century] who considered this form of illness to be akin to malingering, thereby further harming the sufferer. For this [[reason]], among others, the field of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_Medicine Behavioral Medicine] has taken over much of the remit of Psychosomatic Medicine in [[practice]] and there exist large areas of overlap in the [[scientific]] [[research]].

Psychosomatic medicine is not to be confused with the demotic and scientifically incorrect use of the phrase "psychosomatic illness" to apply to illnesses that are now called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatoform_disorder somatoform disorders]. Such illness is classified as neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Statistical_Classification_of_Diseases_and_Related_Health_Problems International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems]. The field of psychosomatic medicine fell into disrepute clinically due to this incorrect use of this term, which was largely due to the [[influence]] of [[psychoanalytic]] [[theory]] on psychiatric physicians and the inaccurate application by non-specialists in the first part of the [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century] who considered this form of illness to be akin to malingering, thereby further harming the sufferer. For this [[reason]], among others, the field of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_Medicine Behavioral Medicine] has taken over much of the remit of Psychosomatic Medicine in [[practice]] and there exist large areas of overlap in the [[scientific]] [[research]].

==References==

==References==

# Levenson, James L. (2006). Essentials of Psychosomatic Medicine. American Psychiatric Press Inc. ISBN 978-1585622467.  

# Levenson, James L. (2006). Essentials of Psychosomatic Medicine. American Psychiatric Press Inc. ISBN 978-1585622467.  

# Asaad, Ghazi (1996). Psychosomatic Disorders: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects. Brunner-Mazel. pp. X, 129–130. ISBN 978-0876308035.  

# Asaad, Ghazi (1996). Psychosomatic Disorders: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects. Brunner-Mazel. pp. X, 129–130. ISBN 978-0876308035.  

# Erwin, Edward (2002). The Freud Encyclopedia: Theory, Therapy and Culture. Routledge. pp. 245–246. ISBN 978-0415936774.  

# Erwin, Edward (2002). The Freud Encyclopedia: Theory, Therapy and Culture. Routledge. pp. 245–246. ISBN 978-0415936774.  

# "GI Consult: Perforated Peptic Ulcer". http://www.emedmag.com/html/pre/gic/consults/071503.asp. Retrieved 2007-08-26.  

# "GI Consult: Perforated Peptic Ulcer". https://www.emedmag.com/html/pre/gic/consults/071503.asp. Retrieved 2007-08-26.  

# Melmed, Raphael N. (2001). Mind, Body and Medicine: An Integrative Text. Oxford University Press Inc, USA. pp. 191–192. ISBN 978-0195131642.  

# Melmed, Raphael N. (2001). Mind, Body and Medicine: An Integrative Text. Oxford University Press Inc, USA. pp. 191–192. ISBN 978-0195131642.  

# I. H. Treasaden, Basant K. Puri, P. J. Laking (2002). Textbook of Psychiatry. Churchill Livingstone. pp. 7. ISBN 978-0443070167.  

# I. H. Treasaden, Basant K. Puri, P. J. Laking (2002). Textbook of Psychiatry. Churchill Livingstone. pp. 7. ISBN 978-0443070167.  

# Wise TN (March 2008). "Update on consultation-liaison psychiatry (psychosomatic medicine)". Curr Opin Psychiatry 21 (2): 196–200. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e3282f393ae. PMID 18332670.  

# Wise TN (March 2008). "Update on consultation-liaison psychiatry (psychosomatic medicine)". Curr Opin Psychiatry 21 (2): 196–200. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e3282f393ae. PMID 18332670.  

==External links==

==External links==

* [http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/mind-body/mindbody.htm Mind-Body Medicine: An Overview, US National Institutes of Health, Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine]

* [https://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/mind-body/mindbody.htm Mind-Body Medicine: An Overview, US National Institutes of Health, Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine]

* [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/emotions/psychosomatic.html NIH]

* [https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/emotions/psychosomatic.html NIH]

* [http://www.psychosomatic.org/ American Psychosomatic Society]

* [https://www.psychosomatic.org/ American Psychosomatic Society]

*[http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/ Psychosomatic Medicine], journal of the American Psychosomatic Society

*[https://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/ Psychosomatic Medicine], journal of the American Psychosomatic Society

[[Category: Psychology]]

[[Category: Psychology]]

[[Category: Health]]

[[Category: Health]]