Chronic Pain Without Objective Abnormality

A claimant describes daily pain, disturbed sleep and an inability to return to ordinary work. Examination is largely normal. Imaging shows no significant structural lesion. The medical records contain repeated consultations, but no diagnosis that neatly explains the severity or persistence of the symptoms.
Weak reports tend to divide into two unsatisfactory camps. One assumes that pain must be genuine because it has been repeatedly reported. The other assumes that pain cannot be genuine because no objective abnormality has been demonstrated. Neither approach is medically sound.