Psychsomatic aspects of rheumatic, especially soft tissue rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatic diseases may be connected to varying degrees with psychic factors. On the one hand, rheumatic diseases may produce psychic reactions, while on the other hand rheumatic symptoms--especially in extra-articular rheumatism--may be induced by psychosomatic hysteric pararheumatic diseases and depressive mechanisms. Special reference is made to psychosomatically induced extra-articular rheumatic diseases in which not only the complex genesis but also the clinical symptomatology are discussed. During therapy more attention should be directed to psychic factors than in the past, as only an intensive psycho and/or psychopharmacotherapy can influence the disease.