When one speaks of pain therapy, one usually means all medical measures that initiate a reduction in the feeling of pain. In the case of chronic pain, it is not uncommon to also use the term pain management.
What is pain management?
When one speaks of pain therapy, one usually means all medical measures that initiate a reduction in the feeling of pain. Illustration shows pain therapy with magnetic stimulation. Pain is a signal from the body. It tells us that something in the body is not functioning properly and forces us to spare the painful body part or organ so that it has the opportunity to regenerate and heal. A distinction is made between acute and chronic pain. Accordingly, acute pain is treated differently than chronic pain. While chronic pain requires long-term therapy, acute pain is considered an emergency and may require the short-term administration of high doses of medication. In addition to drug therapy, there are numerous ways to treat and alleviate pain. All these forms for the relief of various types of pain are called pain therapy in medicine.
Function, effect and goals
One of the most effective immediate measures for many types of pain is heat therapy, which is the application of warming aids, for example, a hot water bottle, heat patches, cherry pit or spelt pillows. Baths can also relieve pain and are used successfully in obstetrics, among other things, to ease the painful contractions of the woman giving birth. The heat has a soothing effect and relieves mild to moderate pain in the corresponding area. In addition, heat relaxes and can thus relieve tension in the musculoskeletal system. In individual cases, exercise can also relieve pain. For example, cycling builds cartilage and can help with knee pain. In the case of pain in the musculoskeletal system, targeted exercise tailored to the pain has proven effective; muscle building in particular relieves the strain on the skeleton and can thus alleviate pain. In general, exercise leads to the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, which have a mood-lifting and thus pain-relieving effect. It has also been observed that the psychological or psychosocial component plays a role in the treatment of pain that should not be underestimated. People who are happy generally feel less pain. Happiness hormones (endorphins) act like the body’s own morphine and quiet suffering. Moreover, in a happy moment, a person does not focus unnecessarily on his pain. For this reason, occupational therapies are often indicated, especially for chronic pain. Even maintaining social contacts and being with friends and family can relieve pain. In institutions such as nursing homes and in palliative care, occupational therapy such as sitting dance, discussion groups or similar so-called activation measures are offered not least for this reason. If none of the above-mentioned methods helps, the only remaining option is to treat pain with medication. Since pain can be of various natures, it is important to find out the cause of the pain (causal therapy) and, if possible, to eliminate it, in addition to pain-relieving measures. A purely analgesic treatment usually does not help in the long term. In drug therapy, a distinction is made between local and systemic forms of therapy. This means that a drug can either be applied locally or the pain can be relieved in the body, e.g. by means of a tablet or an injection. We are all familiar with “light” painkillers, such as ASS (acetylsalicylic acid), paracetamol or ibuprofen. These agents can be taken as self-medication for acute pain conditions, but should not be taken permanently without medical supervision.
Side effects, risks, and dangers
They also have side effects and can lead to dependence if taken for a long time. In some forms of treatment for chronic pain, people now also go about administering mood elevators to the patient, since – to put it simply – the patient then “cares less” about the pain, which of course does not mean that the practitioner does not take his patient’s pain seriously. Finally, morphine preparations are also used.However, these drugs are only used for severe pain conditions, such as cancer therapy or advanced rheumatic diseases, as they can be addictive and, in the worst case, have a life-shortening effect. The prescription of morphine preparations falls under the Narcotics Act. Precise documentation and use under medical supervision are therefore essential. In pain therapy, the primary rule is that what is good for the patient and provides subjective relief is permitted. There is no patent remedy for the treatment and elimination of pain. The patient decides which measures provide him with relief and what contributes to his well-being.
