Common Complaints

1. Headache (“Chu Kbal”) – think: stress, dehydration, depression/anxiety
2. Hot (“Kdaow”) – hot/cold dichotomy thinking in Cambodia is common; hot does not equal fever (necessarily) – think: heartburn, irritable bowel, inflammation
3. Stomach/Belly Pain (“Chu Krapeah/Pueh”) – think: heartburn/gastritis, bowel issues, etc.
4. Intestinal Fever (“Krun Pueh Weeun”) – Typhoid Fever is common in Cambodia but overdiagnosed and overtreated, often based on a triad of fever/headache/abdominal ache, plus a “positive” Widal Test (which is of questionable value)
5. Numbness/Tingling (“Spuk”) – think: Vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, psychiatric/somatization
6. Fatigue/Weakness (“Hot”/ “Ah Kamlang”) – think: undernutrition, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, anemia, thyroid disorders, cardiac, chronic illness
7. Cough (“K’ok”) – think: normal differential plus TB Weight Loss (“Srok Tum-ngon”) – think: TB, TB, TB, and cancer