|
|
|||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Environmental illness is a variably defined collection of symptoms also known as multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, total allergy syndrome, and 20th century disease. It is currently classified among functional somatic syndromes that is, physical illnesses without organic explanations and devoid of demonstrable structural lesions or reproducible laboratory abnormalities. The category also includes chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, interstitial cystitis, temporomandibular joint pain syndrome, repetitive strain injury syndrome, and atypical chest pain syndrome.
The degree to which these syndromes have been characterized as unique entities spans a considerable spectrum. At one end is premenstrual syndrome, a
HOME | SUBSCRIBE | SEARCH | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | COLLECTIONS | PRIVACY | HELP | beta.nejm.org Comments and questions? Please contact us. The New England Journal of Medicine is owned, published, and copyrighted © 2008 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. |