Summarize the following:
Symptoms of conversion disorder generally arise after a person has experienced a physical or psychological trauma or stressful event. Symptoms may affect a person’s ability to move or they may affect a person’s senses.  Movement-related symptoms may include abnormal movements like trouble walking or tremors, difficulty swallowing, episodes of unresponsiveness, loss of balance, seizures or convulsion, as well as weakness or paralysis. Sensory-related symptoms may include hearing difficulty or deafness, numbness or loss of physical sensations, speech problems, or vision problems. If you notice any of the symptoms of conversion disorder in a friend or loved one, it’s best to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Doctors will want to be sure your symptoms aren’t due to an underlying condition before diagnosing conversion disorder. It’s important to get evaluated – you don’t want to overlook other seriously medical issues.  It may help with diagnosis to keep a log of symptoms in order to assist the doctor in ruling out any alternative medical conditions. Research shows that 25 to 50% of conversion disorder cases turn out to be caused by a medical condition. That’s why early and thorough detection is important. The person’s doctor and health care team will need to perform a review of both medical and family history, complete a physical examination, and order a range of diagnostic tests to determine the cause of symptoms.  Diagnostic tests used by doctors may include imaging tests such as x-rays and an electroencephalogram to determine if seizure symptoms have a neurological cause.  Many medical conditions have symptoms that resemble conversion disorder, including stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, lupus, HIV/AIDS, and myasthenia gravis.
Recognize the signs of conversion disorder. Schedule a doctor’s appointment. Undergo diagnostic tests.