Abstract
Respiratory psychosomatic medicine in Japan has been developed since 1970's with the establishment of societies and annual meetings by many specialized physicians. In 1996, the Society of Respiratory Psychosomatic Medicine was distinguished by the newly established Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Internal Medicine (JSPIM). Because so many psychosomatic researches have been made especially in bronchial asthma, the number of presentations and papers gradually decreased along with the remarkable development of basic and clinical investigations of pathology and pharmacological treatment. However the importance of psychosomatic medicine in the field of respiratory medicine has not been diminished. Respiratory symptoms occur not only by the organic stimulation of air tract but also by emotional stress. Symbolic respiratory reactions and symptoms may develop when the human's emotion is affected by psychosocial stressors. It is important to differentiate so-called psychosomatic diseases of the respiratory system because they may easily take the chronic course and become difficult to improve unless treatment with a precise diagnosis is performed. Specific psychotherapy may be applicable when the symptom is aggravated by remarkable psychogenic factors. For the future development and perspectives of respiratory psychosomatic medicine, a more original and up-to-date view by modern scientific investigation will be expected.
