Psychology of medically unexplained symptoms: A practical review

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) or functional neurological symptoms (FNS) are commonly seen in the medical and rehabilitation settings. Clinicians often tend to describe patients with MUS as the “most difficult to help”. This practical review discusses epidemiology, clinical presentations, assessment and diagnosis of these psychiatric and neurological conditions, and summarises psychological models that have been linked to the development and maintenance of MUS. The final purpose of the present paper was to review the current literature in the treatment on the management and treatment of MUS. It concludes that future research should focus on a more integrated treatment approach which addresses various biological, psychological and social factors contributing to the onset and maintenance of these debilitating conditions