Psychalgia

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Synonyms and keywords: Persistent somatoform pain disorder; phrenalgia

Psychalgia is psychological or emotional pain or distress that accompanies a mental effort, especially in clinical depression. It is also called phrenalgia. Psychalgia may also describe physical pain that is possibly of psychological origin.

Within the ICD-10 classification, psychalgia is another term for persistent somatoform pain disorder (F45.4).

The principal symptom is of persistent and distressing pain that cannot be accounted for by a physical complaint or physiological disorder. It occurs in relation to psychosocial issues or emotional stress in such a way as to suggest they are causative factors.

Psychogenic pain, and pain associated with an episode of depression or schizophrenia is excluded from this diagnosis.

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