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. 2001 Jul;60(7):653–657. doi: 10.1136/ard.60.7.653

Breast implants and illness: a model of psychological factors

D Dush 1
PMCID: PMC1753733  PMID: 11406518

Abstract

Studies of disease outcomes have not produced an explanation or an intervention for the symptoms and complaints that some women have attributed to breast implants. Reviews of the literature have found no increased risk of specific systemic disease, and no treatment recommendations have emerged. However, similar symptoms in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other contexts have been considered to be stress or behaviourally mediated, and a number of promising behavioural interventions have been developed. Aetiological, research, and treatment implications may follow from the consideration of such symptoms within a behavioural medicine model that allows for the interaction of physical and psychological influences. In the case of implants, a mass somatisation model may also help to discern the potential effects of litigation and other social influences.



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Figure 1  .

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Mass psychophysiological phenomena are assumed to affect large groups and share key features: In the normal course (a) a baseline of diffuse symptoms and risk factors, (b) initial perceived health threat, (c) diffusion, with increased incidence and severity of symptoms as concern spreads, (d) point of maximum diffusion and average morbidity, (e) trend reversal with decreasing prevalence and severity in response to decreased threat and reassurance, and (f) return to baseline.

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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