One of the central tasks of a doctor has always been to relieve pain. Chronic pain diseases with around 20% persons affected of all Germans are one of the most frequent reasons for consulting a practice. In the case of tension headache, migraine, muscular pain etc. analgesics are prescribed which are meant to absorb the pain. This works for a while – until the body suffers damage from the side effects of the analgesics.
Moreover, people with chronic pain disorders are often left alone in our achievement-oriented society and not understood in their own sphere. The person who is „free of pain“ understands pain as what he knows: e.g. light headache, aching muscles, pulled muscles or a light dislocation. But who has once been through migraines or drastic neuralgic pain knows that chronic pain disorders can affect the patient’s life like other very serious diseases. In many cases people with chronic pain disorders become depressive or lose their vitality and creativity.
Chronic pain disorders can have various causes which have to be analyzed in detail. Apart from the localization of the pain and a general diagnosis also parameters have to be taken into consideration which at first sight have nothing to do with the pain: e.g. „weaknesses“ in the sinus, in the digestive area, at the teeth or inflammations can play a significant role.
The therapeutic approach depends on these features, and we use, if possible, harmless methods without or with least side effects and after-effects. Our principle is “without pain without instruction leaflet”. But this aim is not a dogma, and sometimes it is necessary to apply strong analgesics in order to improve the patient’s quality of life.
Especially in the case of chronic pain it is recommended to: „learn from the therapy“, i.e. the doctor has to have the chance to choose another strategy of treatment, if he fails.