Language in medicine: Language use in clinical interactions about medically unexplained symptoms

Communication between a physician and patient can improve health outcomes. This means that, in addition to medical treatments, the talk during clinical interactions plays a role in patients’ recovery process. The role of communication in patient outcomes is especially relevant when patients suffer from medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), such as irritable bowels or fibromyalgia. Their treatment options are often limited, which leaves the clinical interaction as an important resource for symptom management. To understand and improve physician-patient communication, existing research in the field of MUS has extensively analyzed what physicians and patients with MUS talk about. It is assumed that how they communicate, so with what language use, is also essential during clinical interactions. Language use can elicit varying responses and affect patient outcomes. Yet, few empirical studies assessed language use variations during clinical interactions about MUS. These studies use quantitative content analysis to compare relevant linguistic markers in consultations about MUS versus medically explained symptoms.