Shailza, a 40-year-old female is having headache for the past 6 months. All her investigations were normal. She had several consultations and she had no relief of her symptoms. She still believes that she has some problem in her brain. Likely diagnosis could be:September 2010

Ans. D: HypochondriasisHypochondriasis, hypochondria refers to excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. An individual suffering from hypochondriasis is known as a hypochondriac.Often, hypochondria persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured them that their concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, the concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease. Many hypochondriacs focus on a paicular symptom as the catalyst of their worrying, such as gastro-intestinal problems, palpitations, or muscle fatigue.