Asneezia – a medically unexplained symptom and abnormal illness behavior: Review of literature and a case report

Objective: Asneezia, absence of sneezing or inability to sneeze, is presented here as a form of abnormal illness behavior. A symptom of indeterminate value, and a medically unexplained symptom, asneezia can cause tremendous distress to the person, and become a burden on the health services. Method: A case report is presented here, along with the assessment of abnormal illness behavior and psychological assessment of the patient. Results: Asneezia is reported to be associated with depressive disorders, and, here, in association with obsessive compulsive disorder and dysthymia. Conclusions: Asneezia, as a medically unexplained symptom, can lead to hypochondriacal concern and disease conviction, and manifest as abnormal illness behavior.