Editing Conversion disorder (section)

==Signs and symptoms==
Conversion disorder presented with symptoms following exposure to a certain stressor, typically associated with [[Psychological trauma|trauma]] or [[psychological distress]]. Usually, the physical symptoms of the disorder affect the senses or movement. Common symptoms included [[blindness]], partial or total [[paralysis]], [[Muteness|inability to speak]], [[deafness]], [[Hypoesthesia|numbness]], [[Dysphagia|difficulty swallowing]], [[Fecal incontinence|incontinence]], [[Balance disorder|balance problems]], [[Psychogenic non-epileptic seizure|non-epileptic seizures]], [[tremor]]s, and difficulty walking. Feelings of breathlessness were said to have possibly indicated conversion disorder or [[sleep paralysis]].<ref name="National Institute of Health, 2012"/>

Sleep paralysis and [[narcolepsy]] can be ruled out with [[Sleep study|sleep tests]]. These symptoms were attributed to conversion disorder when a medical explanation for the conditions cannot be found.<ref name="National Institute of Health, 2012">{{cite web | url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001950/ | title=Conversion disorder | publisher=National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine | date=2012-11-17 | access-date=25 October 2013}}</ref> Symptoms of conversion disorder usually occur suddenly. Conversion disorder was typically observed in people ages 10 to 35,<ref name = dsm>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, American Psychiatric Association</ref> affecting between 0.011% and 0.5% of the general population.<ref name="Tollison">{{Cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=BbmI8FCssdEC| title = Practical Pain Management| last1 = Tollison| first1 = C. David| last2 = Satterthwaite| first2 = John R.| last3 = Tollison| first3 = Joseph W.| date = 2002-01-01| publisher = Lippincott Williams & Wilkins| isbn = 9780781731607| language = en}}</ref>

Conversion disorder presented motor or sensory symptoms including:

Motor symptoms or deficits:
* Impaired coordination or balance
* Weakness/paralysis of a limb or the entire body (hysterical paralysis or motor conversion disorders)
* Impairment or loss of speech (hysterical [[aphonia]])
* Difficulty swallowing ([[dysphagia]]) or a sensation of a lump in the throat
* Urinary retention
* [[Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures]] or convulsions
* Persistent [[dystonia]] 
* Tremor, [[myoclonus]] or other movement disorders
* Gait problems ([[astasia-abasia]])
* Loss of consciousness (fainting)

Sensory symptoms or deficits:
* Impaired vision, double vision
* Impaired hearing
* Loss or disturbance of touch or pain sensation

Conversion symptoms typically do not conform to known anatomical pathways and physiological mechanisms. It has sometimes been stated that the presenting symptoms tend to reflect the patient's own understanding of anatomy and that the less medical knowledge a person has, the more implausible are the presenting symptoms.<ref name = dsm/> However, no systematic studies have yet been performed to substantiate this statement.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Peeling |first1=Jessica L. |title=Conversion Disorder |date=2023 |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551567/ |work=StatPearls |access-date=2023-05-05 |place=Treasure Island (FL) |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |pmid=31855394 |last2=Muzio |first2=Maria Rosaria}}</ref>

[[Sexual dysfunction]] and [[pain]] were also considered symptoms of conversion disorder, but if a patient only has these symptoms, they should be diagnosed with [[Sexual dysfunction#Sexual pain disorders|sexual pain disorder]] or [[pain disorder]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Stern |first1=Theodore A. |title=Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of General Hospital Psychiatry |last2=Fricchione |first2=Gregory L. |last3=Rosenbaum |first3=Jerrold F. |date=2010 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=9781437719277 |edition=6th |pages=211–236}}</ref>