Mind and matter | |
Functional somatic syndromes: etiology, diagnosis and treatment Peter Manu, editor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1998 (x + 304 pp.). ISBN: 0 52163491 1. |
The functional somatic
syndromes that are discussed in this book include the usual "heartsink" conditions that general practitioners invariably find difficult to manage. These include chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, premenstrual tension, interstitial cystitis, temporomandibular disorders, repetitive strain injury, chest pain syndromes and multiple chemical sensitivities. Each disorder is written about by a separate author in a dedicated chapter of 20-30 pages. The editor conceptualises the aetiological theories and linkages between the functional somatic syndromes. The editor, Peter Manu, is a relatively young Associate Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry with both a strong academic (Yeshiva University) and clinical (Hillside Hospital) base in New York. The presentation of each condition is very academic and usually includes a historical perspective, definition, confirmatory and contradictory research findings, hypotheses about pathogenicity, and diagnostic and treatment perspectives. The book is well referenced. In some instances the use of case histories adds value to the discussion. Although the topics are interesting and highly relevant, the content is heavy and the style is not reader-friendly. Unfortunately, the information in this book is also not very practical, but, again, that is the nature of this complex subject. I would not regard this book as good value for money. John E Murtagh
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