FROM HYSTERIA TO NOCIPLASTIC PAIN: THE HISTORY OF FUNCTIONAL SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN THE 19-TH, 20-TH AND 21-ST CENTURIES
FROM HYSTERIA TO NOCIPLASTIC PAIN: THE HISTORY OF FUNCTIONAL SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN THE 19-TH, 20-TH AND 21-ST CENTURIES

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the development of functional pain diagnoses in the 19-th, 20-th and 21-st centuries – from hysteria to somatoform disorders to the concept of nociplastic pain. On the basis of a literature review, historical, classificatory and neurobiological perspectives are used to show how the un￾derstanding of functional somatic symptoms has changed. The analysis follows the development of trau￾ma-psychological and psychodynamic concepts through descriptive-classificatory approaches to neurosci￾ence-based models such as central sensitization. Despite all the conceptual changes, the clinical findings remain largely constant: patients suffer from real, chronic pain without demonstrable organic causes at the site of the symptom. The article shows that although central sensitization and nociplastic pain can be regarded as scientific advances in the sense of objectifiable correlates, they also represent a semantic re￾framing of known phenomena. However, these developments have not yet led to a noticeable improvement in clinical care.

• Details
• Contents