AbstractIn this paper, we propose a methodology for investigating medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPSs). These symptoms are common in both primary and specialist medical practices, but are poorly understood. Currently, MUPSs are diagnosed via non‐explanatory labels. However, we show that explanatory diagnoses are preferable to non‐explanatory syndromic diagnoses because they bring both epistemic and therapeutic benefits to patients and their providers. Thus, we advocate a methodology of causal explanatory pluralism in the diagnostic workup and clinical management of MUPSs.