Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist

Physical examination is a core component of any assessment done by a physician. Despite that, a physical examination is not always a top priority in many patients with psychiatric illnesses. We present the case of a woman with a prior diagnosis of a delusional disorder with overinvested religious be...

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Main Authors: Emmanuel Stip, Hind Mohammed Ahmed, Syed Fahad Javaid, Leena Amiri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Psychiatry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/5642798
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author Emmanuel Stip
Hind Mohammed Ahmed
Syed Fahad Javaid
Leena Amiri
author_facet Emmanuel Stip
Hind Mohammed Ahmed
Syed Fahad Javaid
Leena Amiri
author_sort Emmanuel Stip
collection DOAJ
description Physical examination is a core component of any assessment done by a physician. Despite that, a physical examination is not always a top priority in many patients with psychiatric illnesses. We present the case of a woman with a prior diagnosis of a delusional disorder with overinvested religious beliefs. The patient had been stable on treatment for many years and only recently presented with a physical complaint, and manifestation assumed to be due to the nature of her psychiatric illness and, hence, overlooked by many physicians before being examined by her last psychiatrist. This resulted in a significant mobility problem for the patient. The patient showed partial insight, linking her pain to a “message from God.” Despite the delusional context, the psychiatrist was allowed to examine her feet and discovered significant neglect and poor foot hygiene. This case emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough physical examinations in psychiatric settings. Moreover, it presents an example of situations preventing psychiatric patients from being examined despite displaying obvious physical signs.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-9bb3b6cc52654e299596c01aed1d2a282025-08-20T03:36:54ZengWileyCase Reports in Psychiatry2090-68382023-01-01202310.1155/2023/5642798Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a PsychiatristEmmanuel Stip0Hind Mohammed Ahmed1Syed Fahad Javaid2Leena Amiri3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesBehavioral Sciences InstituteDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesPhysical examination is a core component of any assessment done by a physician. Despite that, a physical examination is not always a top priority in many patients with psychiatric illnesses. We present the case of a woman with a prior diagnosis of a delusional disorder with overinvested religious beliefs. The patient had been stable on treatment for many years and only recently presented with a physical complaint, and manifestation assumed to be due to the nature of her psychiatric illness and, hence, overlooked by many physicians before being examined by her last psychiatrist. This resulted in a significant mobility problem for the patient. The patient showed partial insight, linking her pain to a “message from God.” Despite the delusional context, the psychiatrist was allowed to examine her feet and discovered significant neglect and poor foot hygiene. This case emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough physical examinations in psychiatric settings. Moreover, it presents an example of situations preventing psychiatric patients from being examined despite displaying obvious physical signs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/5642798
spellingShingle Emmanuel Stip
Hind Mohammed Ahmed
Syed Fahad Javaid
Leena Amiri
Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
Case Reports in Psychiatry
title Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
title_full Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
title_fullStr Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
title_full_unstemmed Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
title_short Head to Toe Psychiatry: The Lady Who Limped in front of a Psychiatrist
title_sort head to toe psychiatry the lady who limped in front of a psychiatrist
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/5642798
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