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.
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Common Symptoms |
Common Medical Conditions Sharing these Symptoms |
How to Differentiate for Accurate Assessment |
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Depressed mood |
Hypothyroidism |
Decreased thyroid function is accompanied by cold |
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intolerance, dry skin, hair loss, slow heart rate |
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Anemia |
Low energy level which may accompany poor nutrition |
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confirmed by blood tests showing low hematocrit - Hct |
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levels |
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epstein |
Often accompanied by physical symptoms especially in |
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Barr Virus or Fibromyalgia |
extremities. Diagnosis often inconclusive |
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Female Hormone Imbalance |
Evaluate connection of symptoms with hormone cycles, |
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- oral contraceptives, premenstrual, |
medications such as hormone replacement therapy and |
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pregnancy, post partum, pre/post |
contraception as well as life stages. Confirm with |
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menopause |
Gynecological referral |
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Cancer |
Psychiatric symptoms may be first sign of cancers as |
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toxins are excreted from cells. Sudden onset, physical |
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symptoms, absence of common mental illness themes |
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can be diagnostic - i.e.feelings of failure, low self |
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esteem, guilt, loss of interest in activities and people |
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Substance Abuse |
Many abused substances directly cause depression - |
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alcohol and tranquilizers - or indirectly upon their |
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withdrawal - stimulants. Abstinence from suspected |
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abuse is necessary for accurate assessment |
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Diabetes |
Increased sweating, frequent urination, obesity or other |
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weight changes, lethargy, increased thirst |
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Stroke or other causes of brain cell |
Sudden onset of symptoms, age, blood pressure |
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and tissue damage |
or use of medications for blood pressure, facial muscle |
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asymmetry, history of or recent falls, family history of |
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stroke, absence of family depression history |
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Anxiety |
Cardiopulmonary Diseases |
May be direct result of chemicals in the body, hypoxia - |
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lack of oxygen to brain, breathing difficulties leading to |
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panic states or worry over life and death issues |
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Substance related |
Caffeine, Cocaine, Anti-cholinergic drugs - i.e. Cogentin, |
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Aspirin, Hallucinogens, Steroids, Sympathomimetics - |
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drugs that mimic the body's autonomic arousal system |
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THC, withdrawal from alcohol, narcotics, and sedatives |
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Female Hormone Imbalance |
Especially prevalent with Premenstrual syndrome and |
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Menopause |
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Hypertension |
High blood pressure which can be the result of over- |
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active stress response from pressured lifestyle, weight/diet |
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issues, medications, disease -to name a few |
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Hypo or hyperthyroidism |
Symptoms as above for hypothyroidism with |
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hyperthyroidism having such features as sweating, heart |
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palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, tremor, hyper- |
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sensitivity to heat |
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Neurological disorders |
These are diseases of the nervous system which affect |
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-Epilepsy, Huntington's Disease, |
firing of impulses at nerve sites. Medical history is vital to |
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Multiple Sclerosis, Organic Brain |
comprehensive assessment. Absence of common mental |
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Syndrome, Wilson's Disease) |
illness themes may be diagnostic |
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Hypoglycemia |
Diets high in refined sugar with poor overall nutrition |
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trigger hypoglycemic - low blood sugar - episodes which |
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stimulate a surge of adrenalin into the body--the stress |
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hormone leading to a hyper-vigilant/anxious state |
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Irritability |
Head Injury |
History of head injury especially of frontal lobe. Injury may |
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Anger |
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have been ignored such as "heading" a soccer ball during |
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Aggression |
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a game. Note activities of client as part of assessment |
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Continuum |
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Hypoglycemia |
As above with anxiety, sudden surges of adrenalin are |
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-Diabetic Insulin reaction, Alcoholism, |
triggered by low blood sugar some reaching violent |
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Nutrition |
proportions |
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Hyperthyroidism |
As noted, increased thyroid hormone stimulates |
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adrenaline - the stress hormone. Medical history |
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absence of mental illness themes is a predictor |
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Brain Tumor |
Symptoms depend on location. This may present with |
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headache, sudden, uncharacteristic changes in |
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personality and thought processing |
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Stroke or other damage |
History of pre-morbid personality, age, cognitive |
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functioning and considerations as previously noted |
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for stroke, head injury, neurologic disorders |
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Steroids |
History of medications taken either prescribed -such as |
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Prednisone - or illegal - such as those taken for body |
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building and competitive sports |