Pain or physical symptoms in more than four body regions with no identifiable pathology is most typical of which disorder?

• A. Panic disorder
• B. Hypochondriasis
• C. Somatization disorder
• D. Conversion disorder

Answer: (C)

Somatization disorder is characterized by a long history of multiple physical complaints across many body regions that cannot be explained by medical findings. The pattern of pain or symptoms spanning more than four regions shows a breadth of somatic symptoms rather than a single issue, and these symptoms persist over time with no identifiable pathology on evaluation. This contrasts with other disorders: panic disorder centers on recurrent panic attacks and fear of future attacks; hypochondriasis (illness anxiety disorder) involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite few or no symptoms; conversion disorder features neurological symptoms (such as weakness, blindness, or seizures) that are inconsistent with neurological findings. The combination of widespread, nonbenign somatic symptoms across multiple systems is most typical of somatization disorder.