Pain Disorder

Body Dysmorphic Disorder	Conversion Disorder
Hypochondriasis	Pain Disorder
Somatization Disorder	Somatoform Home

Pain disorder is characterized by an exaggeration of and continuation of pain without medical cause. This disorder generally develops after an accident or during an illness that has caused genuine pain.

Being diagnosed with this disorder does not mean that the individual has no biological reason for pain. It simply suggests that there are psychological factors that appear to have contributed to the onset, severity, maintenance or exacerbation (amplification) of the pain. That is, the individual may have a valid reason for the pain, but the individual's pain may be worse during times of stressful life events and/or internal emotional conflicts.

In order for an individual to receive this diagnosis, the pain must disrupt social and/or occupational functioning.

Pain disorder is fairly common and may begin at any age. More women than men are given this diagnosis.

Diagnostic Criteria:

A. Pain in one or more anatomical sites is the predominant focus of the clinical presentation and is of sufficient severity to warrant clinical attention.

B. The pain causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

C. Psychological factors are judged to have an important role in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain.

D. The symptom or deficit is not intentionally produced or feigned (as in Factitious Disorder or Malingering).

E. The pain is not better accounted for by a Mood, Anxiety, or Psychotic Disorder and does not meet criteria for Dyspareunia.

Code as follows:

307.80 Pain Disorder Associated With Psychological Factors: psychological factors are judged to have the major role in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain. (If a general medical condition is present, it does not have a major role in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain.) This type of Pain Disorder is not diagnosed if criteria are also met for Somatization Disorder.

Specify if:

- Acute: duration of less than 6 months
- Chronic: duration of 6 months or longer

307.89 Pain Disorder Associated With Both Psychological Factors and a General Medical Condition: both psychological factors and a general medical condition are judged to have important roles in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain. The associated general medical condition or anatomical site of the pain (see below) is coded on Axis III.

Specify if:

- Acute: duration of less than 6 months
- Chronic: duration of 6 months or longer

Note: The following is not considered to be a mental disorder and is included here to facilitate differential diagnosis.

Pain Disorder Associated With a General Medical Condition: a general medical condition has a major role in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain. (If psychological factors are present, they are not judged to have a major role in the onset, severity, exacerbation, or maintenance of the pain.) The diagnostic code for the pain is selected based on the associated general medical condition if one has been established or on the anatomical location of the pain if the underlying general medical condition is not yet clearly established--for example, low back (724.2), sciatic (724.3), pelvic (625.9), headache (784.0), facial (784.0), chest (786.50), joint (719.4), bone (733.90), abdominal (789.0), breast (611.71), renal (788.0), ear (388.70), eye (379.91), throat (784.1), tooth (525.9), and urinary (788.0).

Personal Stories:

If you would like to share your personal story of living with pain disorder, please email me and I will include it here on this page.