[Torture-related injuries--a medical challenge. Diagnosis and treatment of Falanga victims]

Abstract

Torture victims are generally reluctant to present complaints linked to the torture. Many patients from refugee populations have experienced traumatic events such as war, violence and torture. Health professionals need to know more about the nature of these traumas, and how to diagnose the sequelae of torture. If they are to give torture victims adequate treatment they need to be familiar with the relevant diagnostic procedures, and how to treat health problems caused by systematic violence. A clinical case history is used to present the method of torture called Falanga, the beating of the soles of the feet. The case shows how the diagnosis and treatment of the physical injuries have a marked effect on the rehabilitation process. After receiving treatment for his foot injuries, patient's physical and mental health both improved dramatically, as did his psychosocial rehabilitation.