First, please don&#x27;t use &quot;hypochondriac&quot; - it&#x27;s a horribly outdated term and no-one here is trying to diminish the suffering that people feel from this condition, even if they think it&#x27;s somataform.<p>&gt; Here is why it computes. Empty Nose Syndrome, as described from various sources, has a common set of symptoms and is linked to one specific surgical procedure. Now let us suppose your theory is correct and it is caused solely by anxiety focused on the surgical intervention. If that were the case, you would expect many people to express this same set of symptoms from other nose-related surgeries. You would expect that the description of Empty Nose Syndrome would then expand to be linked to a number of different nasal surgeries. After all, if these patients are hypochondriacs whose anxiety causes physical discomfort, why would this anxiety be limited to only turbinate reduction?<p>But these things tend to self limit.  Ann says she has chronic fatigue.  She undergoes some psychological therapy.  She gets some relief from her symptoms.  A bunch of people in the CFS organisation now shun Ann, and tell her that she didn&#x27;t have real CFS.