Chronic Complaints in Adolescence: Chest Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Headaches, Abdominal Pain

Most patients and their parents tend to favor a physical explanation of symptoms; to counter this trend, the author emphasizes the need for health care providers to maintain a more psychosocial approach in treating adolescents. The necessity and wisdom of extensive lab testing in the absence of definitive symptoms are questioned. Physical and psychological etiologies for the most common complaints are detailed.