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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo be diagnosed with conversion disorder, you must meet the symptom criteria spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is used by mental health providers to diagnose mental conditions and by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment. For you to be diagnosed with conversion disorder:
- You must have one or more symptoms you can't control that affect movement of part of your body or your senses. These symptoms must seem like they could be caused by a neurological or other medical condition.
- Your symptoms must have occurred after a stressful event.
- You don't produce symptoms intentionally.
- Your symptoms aren't fully explained by a general medical condition, drug use or a culturally accepted behavior, such as experiencing visions at a religious ritual.
- Your symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in social, work or other settings.
- Your symptoms aren't limited to pain or sexual problems, and aren't better accounted for by another mental disorder.
There are no standard tests to check for conversion disorder. The tests your doctor uses will depend on what kind of signs and symptoms you have. They may include:
- Simple bedside tests. Your doctor checks for normal reflexes to help rule out a physical cause for your signs and symptoms. These tests don't require any specialized equipment and are quick and painless. The exact tests your doctor does depends on your signs and symptoms.
- X-rays or other imaging tests. These tests may help your doctor confirm that your symptoms aren't caused by an injury or neurological or other physical conditions that might cause similar symptoms.
- An electroencephalogram (EEG) scan. Your doctor uses EEG because it can help rule out a neurological cause of seizure symptoms. This test is a painless procedure to detect electrical activity in your brain. It's used to test for epilepsy and other brain disorders.
Diagnosis can be tricky because a doctor must rule out medical conditions with a physical cause. Conversion disorder can mimic a number of other health problems, including:
- Myasthenia gravis — a muscle weakness disorder
- Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy
- Stroke
- Lupus
- Spinal cord injury
- HIV/AIDS
- Conversion disorder. In: First MB, et al. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
- Stonnington CM, et al. Conversion disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2006;163:1510.
- Chew K. Conversion disorder. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115619319-3/788576277/1701/146.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50006-9--subchapter42_3054. Accessed Jan. 1, 2009.
- Conversion disorder. In: Moore D, et al. Moore & Jefferson: Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia. Pa.: Mosby; 2004.http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115619319-3/788576277/1243/93.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02911-6..50093-2_871. Accessed Jan. 1, 2009.
