Differential diagnoses
The most important disturbances to be mentioned here are With all these diagnoses, increased pain (also in the back) is conceivable.
- Somatization disorder
- Hypochondriac disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
Co-morbidity
The diagnosis of chronic back pain is often accompanied by other psychosomatic disorders. The most common additional disorder is that of depression. The second most common disorder is panic attack or agoraphobia. Somatoform disorders are only to be mentioned after this. A large number of pain patients develop an abuse of painkillers in the course of the disease.
Diagnostics
Pain is something very subjective. Nevertheless, it is possible to make pain more tangible by using different diagnostic instruments before and during a possible therapy. Over a defined period of time (e.g. one week), all information important to the therapist is recorded by the patient.
E.g. frequency, strength and duration of pain, frequency of medication, activities before the pain, etc. The pain perception scale tries to record the psychological changes in the patient that are caused by the pain.
It is also a good instrument during therapy to record any progress made.
- Pain diary: Over a defined period of time (e.g. one week), all information important to the therapist is recorded by the patient. E.g. frequency, strength and duration of the pain, frequency of medication, activities before the pain, etc.
- Pain Sensation Scale (SES)The Pain Sensation Scale attempts to capture the psychological changes in the patient caused by the pain. It is also a good instrument during therapy to record possible progress.
- Tübinger Bogen zur Erfassung von Schmerzverhalten (TBS):This is a questionnaire in which relatives of the pain patient are asked how they experience the patient and how they deal with pain.
- Funktionsfragebogen Hannover (FFbH-R):This questionnaire primarily records the life restrictions that the patient suffers from the pain.
