The Osteopath’s role in the management of Medically Unexplained Symptoms and Functional Somatic Syndromes.
Item
- Title
- The Osteopath’s role in the management of Medically Unexplained Symptoms and Functional Somatic Syndromes.
- Title
- The Osteopath’s role in the management of Medically Unexplained Symptoms and Functional Somatic Syndromes.
- Author(s)
- Matthews Benjamin
- Abstract
- Background: Medically Unexplained Symptoms/ Functional Somatic Syndromes are terms used within 'Biomedical professions' to define patients where no physiological or psychological disease can be diagnosed to explain their 'physical symptoms'. Objective: To investigate the role of Osteopaths in the management of patients with 'Medically Unexplained Symptoms/ Functional Somatic Syndromes'. Method: A qualitative semi-structured interview study of practicing osteopaths using 'content analysis' & elements of 'grounded theory'. Results: Osteopaths recognise the legitimacy of the terms Medically Unexplained Symptoms based on the dualistic conceptual model of biomedicine but this is incompatible with the osteopathic conceptual model of disease. Conclusion: Osteopaths recognise MUS/ FSS as a construct of the 'mind-brain' conceptual model of medicine. These patient’s present as a challenging group for osteopaths to both treat and manage successfully. Although osteopaths may not be able to scientifically explain MUS and FSS, they may provide patients with a functional 'working hypothesis' which could provide the basis of a therapeutic intervention.
- Abstract
- Background: Medically Unexplained Symptoms/ Functional Somatic Syndromes are terms used within 'Biomedical professions' to define patients where no physiological or psychological disease can be diagnosed to explain their 'physical symptoms'. Objective: To investigate the role of Osteopaths in the management of patients with 'Medically Unexplained Symptoms/ Functional Somatic Syndromes'. Method: A qualitative semi-structured interview study of practicing osteopaths using 'content analysis' & elements of 'grounded theory'. Results: Osteopaths recognise the legitimacy of the terms Medically Unexplained Symptoms based on the dualistic conceptual model of biomedicine but this is incompatible with the osteopathic conceptual model of disease. Conclusion: Osteopaths recognise MUS/ FSS as a construct of the 'mind-brain' conceptual model of medicine. These patient’s present as a challenging group for osteopaths to both treat and manage successfully. Although osteopaths may not be able to scientifically explain MUS and FSS, they may provide patients with a functional 'working hypothesis' which could provide the basis of a therapeutic intervention.
- presented at
- British School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2011
- Date Submitted
- 3.2.2012 00:00:00
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Pub-Identifier
- 15080
- Inst-Identifier
- 780
- Keywords
- Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Somatoform Disorders, Functional Somatic Syndromes, Manual Therapy, Osteopathy, Osteopathic Patient Management
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Matthews Benjamin, “The Osteopath’s role in the management of Medically Unexplained Symptoms and Functional Somatic Syndromes.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.osteopathic-research.com/s/orw/item/1758