Bito Seiji
Department of Clinical Education, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center.
Nihon Rinsho. 2009 Sep;67(9):1715-9.
General practitioners (GPs) see many patients with various symptoms such as dizziness, general fatigue, chronic headache, numbness, chronic upper abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea and these patients often have no abnormal findings in diagnostic tests. Even some specific conditions are categorized as "diseases" such as "fibromyalgia" and "non-ulcer dyspepsia", the patients actually suffer from various illnesses and have common questions. One is "Why am I suffering from such illness?" and the other is "How can I waive from the suffering?". GPs should usually face with these patients' questions. Even without categorization by "functional somatic syndrome", GPs provide continuity of care and sometimes provide prescriptions for such patients. The concept of postmodern is essential in management of functional somatic syndrome.