Pain as abnormal illness behaviour.

Abstract

In this article, the concept of abnormal illness behaviour is described, and chronic pain syndromes which represent variants of such behaviour are reviewed. Research using the Illness Behaviour Questionnaire has helped to elucidate aspects of chronic pain states, especially where a discrepancy exists between the patient's illness behaviour and the objectively assessed somatic pathology. Some comments are offered concerning the management of patients showing abnormal illness behaviour.