The somatizing patient.

Somatization is the experience of physical symptoms in response to emotional distress. It is common, costly, and frustrating to both the patient and physician. Successful treatment of somatization requires the physician to pursue a positive diagnosis rather than rely on a diagnosis of exclusion. Treatment consists of giving an acceptable explanation of the symptoms to the patient, avoiding unwarranted interventions, and arranging brief but regular office visits for which the patient does not need to develop a new symptom to receive medical attention.