yourceus.com has just launched its fully updated site as of May 27, 2024. Please contact us at info@yourceus.com for any questions or need for user support.

MMD8386 - SECTION 9: PRINTABLE TABLE OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND SYMPTOMS THEY PRODUCE

 

Section 9: Printable Table of Medical Conditions and Symptoms They Produce

 

For the benefit of our trainees, we offer the following printable table, designed to offer a quick reference guide for common medical problems that may appear as mental health symptoms. It may be useful to print this table as preparation for the scenario analysis in the next chapter.

 

Common Symptoms

Common Medical Conditions

Sharing these Symptoms

How to Differentiate for

Accurate Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depressed mood

Hypothyroidism

Decreased thyroid function is accompanied by cold

 

 

intolerance, dry skin, hair loss, slow heart rate

 

 

 

 

Anemia

Low energy level which may accompany poor nutrition

 

 

confirmed by blood tests showing low hematocrit - Hct

 

 

levels

 

 

 

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epstein

Often accompanied by physical symptoms especially in

 

Barr Virus or Fibromyalgia

extremities. Diagnosis often inconclusive

 

 

 

 

Female Hormone Imbalance

Evaluate connection of symptoms with hormone cycles,

 

  - oral contraceptives, premenstrual,

medications such as hormone replacement therapy and

 

    pregnancy, post partum, pre/post

contraception as well as life stages. Confirm with

 

    menopause

Gynecological referral

 

 

 

 

Cancer

Psychiatric symptoms may be first sign of cancers as

 

 

toxins are excreted from cells. Sudden onset, physical

 

 

symptoms, absence of common mental illness themes

 

 

can be diagnostic - i.e.feelings of failure, low self 

 

 

esteem, guilt, loss of interest in activities and people

 

 

 

 

Substance Abuse

Many abused substances directly cause depression -

 

 

alcohol and tranquilizers - or indirectly upon their

 

 

withdrawal - stimulants. Abstinence from suspected 

 

 

abuse is necessary for accurate assessment

 

 

 

 

Diabetes

Increased sweating, frequent urination, obesity or other

 

 

weight changes, lethargy, increased thirst

 

 

 

 

Stroke or other causes of brain cell

Sudden onset of symptoms, age, blood pressure

 

and tissue damage

or use of medications for blood pressure, facial muscle

 

 

asymmetry, history of or recent falls, family history of

 

 

stroke, absence of family depression history

 

 

 

Anxiety

Cardiopulmonary Diseases

May be direct result of chemicals in the body, hypoxia -

 

 

lack of oxygen to brain, breathing difficulties leading to

 

 

panic states or worry over life and death issues

 

 

 

 

Substance related

Caffeine, Cocaine, Anti-cholinergic drugs - i.e. Cogentin,

 

 

Aspirin, Hallucinogens, Steroids, Sympathomimetics -

 

 

drugs that mimic the body's autonomic arousal system

 

 

THC, withdrawal from alcohol, narcotics, and sedatives

 

 

 

 

Female Hormone Imbalance

Especially prevalent with Premenstrual syndrome and

 

 

Menopause

 

 

 

 

Hypertension

High blood pressure which can be the result of over-

 

 

active stress response from pressured lifestyle, weight/diet

 

 

issues, medications, disease -to name a few

 

 

 

 

Hypo or hyperthyroidism

Symptoms as above for hypothyroidism with

 

 

hyperthyroidism having such features as sweating, heart

 

 

palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, tremor, hyper-

 

 

sensitivity to heat

 

 

 

 

Neurological disorders

These are diseases of the nervous system which affect

 

    -Epilepsy, Huntington's Disease,    

firing of impulses at nerve sites. Medical history is vital to

 

     Multiple Sclerosis, Organic Brain

comprehensive assessment. Absence of common mental

 

     Syndrome, Wilson's Disease)

illness themes may be diagnostic

 

 

 

 

Hypoglycemia

Diets high in refined sugar with poor overall nutrition

 

 

trigger hypoglycemic - low blood sugar - episodes which

 

 

stimulate a surge of adrenalin into the body--the stress

 

 

hormone leading to a hyper-vigilant/anxious state

 

 

 

Irritability

Head Injury

History of head injury especially of frontal lobe. Injury may

Anger

 

have been ignored such as "heading" a soccer ball during

Aggression

 

a game. Note activities of client as part of assessment

Continuum

 

 

 

Hypoglycemia

As above with anxiety, sudden surges of adrenalin are

 

    -Diabetic Insulin reaction, Alcoholism,

triggered by low blood sugar some reaching violent

 

     Nutrition

proportions

 

 

 

 

Hyperthyroidism

As noted, increased thyroid hormone stimulates

 

 

adrenaline - the stress hormone. Medical history

 

 

absence of mental illness themes is a predictor

 

 

 

 

Brain Tumor

Symptoms depend on location. This may present with

 

 

headache, sudden, uncharacteristic changes in

 

 

personality and thought processing

 

 

 

 

Stroke or other damage

History of pre-morbid personality, age, cognitive

 

 

functioning and considerations as previously noted

 

 

for stroke, head injury, neurologic disorders

 

 

 

 

Steroids

History of medications taken either prescribed -such as

 

 

Prednisone - or illegal - such as those taken for body

 

 

building and competitive sports

 

 

 

NEXT SECTION>>>