Psychogenic abdominal pain.

A series of 25 patients referred for psychiatric consultation with nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) are compared with a prospectively admitted series who were not referred. The referred patients had a longer duration of pain and also had high levels of psychiatric illness. The referred patients had more life events associated with the onset of their pain than controls. Inquiry about previous psychiatric history, childhood abuse, and a symptom model would increase the detection of NSAP patients who require psychiatric evaluation. Outcome after recommended treatment is also addressed.