Headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations, numbness and tingling, and choking sensations. Chronic pelvic pain with a negative work up is suggestive of domestic violence. Attempted suicide is a frequent presentation of a battered woman. Chemical dependency is felt to be a frequent result of domestic violence. Victims of abuse may present to the doctor with injuries that are not consistent with their stories of how the injury occurred.
Anxiety can be the main presenting complaint.
Increasing the Recognition of Domestic Violence Physicians must keep a high index of suspicion to diagnose domestic violence early. Many medical schools have recently included domestic violence in their core curriculum. The American Medical Association is actively trying to educate physicians about domestic violence. The past president of the AMA, Dr. Robert McAfee has spread the message by lecturing all over the country to physicians as well as the general public. Physician education is a key component to early diagnosis and treatment since they are frequently directly involved in treating the injuries and may have a good rapport with the patient.