Comprehensive psychiatry
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Comprehensive psychiatry · Aug 2012
Physical pain associated with depression: results of a survey in Japanese patients and physicians.
There is an increasing recognition that pain often coexists with depression. The current survey was undertaken to ascertain patients' and clinicians' perceptions of pain as a physical symptom associated with depression in everyday clinical practices in Japan. ⋯ The survey provides further evidence of the association between depression and pain, highlighting the fact that pain is prevalent in this patient population. An increased patient and physician awareness of pain in association with depression and improved physician-patient communication, enabling patients to discuss painful symptoms with their physicians and vice versa, should lead to a better overall management and treatment strategies.