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Munchausen Syndrome
Medical Questions » Munchausen Syndrome
| Name: Munchausen Syndrome |
| Also known as: |
| A serious psychiatric condition that involves lying and faking the symptoms of a serious illness. A disturbing form occurs when parents induce false illnesses in their children, and demand inappropriate investigations and surgery for them (Polle syndrome or Munchhausen' s syndrome by proxy). |
Causes of Munchausen Syndrome
Unknown, but patients have usually studied medical textbooks, and are able to describe and mimic a wide range of medical symptoms and diseases. |
Symptoms of Munchausen Syndrome
Patients travel from one hospital and doctor to another, and tell extraordinary lies in order to obtain the most elaborate and extensive medical investigations and treatment possible. They may convulse, roll in agony, vomit, pretend to be unconscious and even mutilate themselves so that they bleed in front of examining doctors. By these means, they convince doctors to subject them to numerous operations for imaginary ills, and then they discharge themselves prematurely from hospital so that they can present to another doctor or hospital for further treatment of the ' complications' of the last operation or to complain about the ' incompetence' of the previous doctor. |
Tests for Munchausen Syndrome
None diagnostic. |
Treatment for Munchausen Syndrome
Thorough assessment by a psychiatrist followed by prolonged counseling and psychotherapy.
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Complications of Munchausen Syndrome of its treatment
Patients may actually succeed in committing suicide or develop serious complications of surgery by the actions of unsuspecting, but caring, doctors. |
Likely Outcome of Munchausen Syndrome
Treatment is usually difficult, and even after apparent success the relapse rate is high. |
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