Functional Conditions
Functional Conditions: Proposing A Nova Scotia Approach
A provincial planning group has been struck to develop a proposal for a systematic approach to a common group of physical symptom conditions affecting up to 1/3 of Nova Scotians.
What are the conditions?
Functional conditions is a term for a spectrum of conditions where signs and symptoms of body illness are linked to autonomic nervous system and anxiety responses to emotion processing problems as well as other processes where thoughts, feelings, behavior and body interact resulting in physical effects or worsening of existing illness states.
Common examples are irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, weakness, fatigue, mental confusion, irritable bladder, fainting, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle spasms and transient sensory changes. While these symptoms can be signs of illnesses needing medical care, once serious illnesses are ruled out by examination, it is highly likely that cycles of emotions, thoughts, behaviors and anxiety are interacting to produce or worsen these conditions.
How common are these problems in Nova Scotia?
Based on research here and elsewhere these problems are so common as to be considered normal. Everyone can experience symptoms because we all have a body and senses. For example we all have some physical sensations when under stress. When a person is so burdened with symptoms he cannot function, it is considered a clinical matter to be treated.
In Nova Scotia about 11% of all hospital admission, 16% of emergency visits, and about half of new specialty consultations and repeat doctor visits are related to functional conditions meaning it costs a lot of suffering for people and hundreds of millions in healthcare dollars. The cost of disability for these problems is as much or more than that.