An elderly patient complains bitterly and repetitively about numerous somatic concerns,but he has been examined thoroughly by several different health care providers,and physical examinations suggest that he is in good health.The nurse should suspect that the patient's somatic complaints most likely are:

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Elderly persons may have difficulty expressing emotions such as sadness or grief and may express them somatically instead.Somatic complaints may be stress related but are not a coping mechanism per se.No data is offered to support the presence of an undiagnosed medical illness or injury.Although aging processes can produce increasing aches and pains,this patient's presentation of bitter,repetitive somatic complaints and negative physical examinations suggests that a different phenomenon is at work.

An Elderly Patient Complains Bitterly and Repetitively About Numerous Somatic