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Conversion disorder - Symptom

Alternative Names

Hysterical neurosis

Symptoms:

Symptoms of a conversion disorder include the loss of one or more bodily functions, such as:

  • Blindness
  • Inability to speak
  • Numbness
  • Paralysis

Diagnostic testing does not find any physical cause for the symptoms.

Signs and tests:

Common signs of conversion disorder include:

  • A debilitating symptom that begins suddenly
  • A history of a psychological problem that gets better after the symptom appears
  • A lack of concern that usually occurs with a severe symptom

Your doctor will do a physical examination, and possibly diagnostic tests, to rule out physical causes for the symptom.

  • Reviewed last on: 11/23/2010
  • Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Michelle Benger Merrill, MD, Instructor in Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Blais MA, Smallwood P, Groves JE, Rivas-Vazquez RA. Personality and personality disorders. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 39.

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