Monday, January 17, 2005

Worried sick: What can doctors do about hypochondria?

AMNews: Jan. 24, 2005. Worried sick: What can doctors do about hypochondria? ... American Medical News
Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. Jan. 24, 2005.

They can try the patience of even the most calm, cool and collected physician with ongoing complaints of a headache that is certainly a brain tumor or an aching arm that signifies bone cancer. No degree of assurances to the contrary can diminish their fears. Ultimately, addressing their needs poses a considerable and time-consuming clinical challenge.

Mastering the care of them, however, is also a priority for primary care physicians, because the number of these patients is great -- on average, as many as one out of 20 sitting in waiting rooms across the country at any given moment is a hypochondriac.

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