Understanding Conversion Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

Conversion disorder, also known as functional neurological symptom disorder, is a condition in which the person experiences neurological symptoms that are not caused by any medical or physical condition. In conversion disorder, the person experiences these symptoms as real, and does not fake it. The reason for conversion disorder is not yet fully understood, and is sometimes related to stress or traumatic events. People who are at greater risk to develop conversion disorder are those who suffer from neurological conditions, movement disorder, psychological problems, and have a history of abuse.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Functional neurological symptom disorder
- Conversion Disorder
- Astasia-abasia
- Camptocormia
- Dissociative convulsions
- Globus hystericus
- Hysterical ataxia
- Hysterical blindness
- Psychologic conversion disorder

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms of conversion disorders may include difficulty walking, loss of balance, tremors, weakness, paralysis, hearing difficulty, vision problems, loss of sensation, difficulty swallowing, seizures and unresponsiveness.

Diagnosis

Conversion disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences changes in their senses or motor function that are not attributed to any medical or mental illness. These symptoms must cause distress and interrupt the person’s daily life. To rule out other diseases, tests such as EEG or imaging tests may be done.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to treat both the symptom that the person is experiencing (for example - swallowing difficulty or blindness) and at the same time to treat the person emotionally by cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis or medication.

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital