Process of pain syndrome treatment in German hospitals
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Pain is the most frequent symptom in the world and is observed in thousands of different diseases. Acute pain is unpleasant, and even agonizing. But, chronic pain brings much more trouble. It doesn’t threaten a patient’s life in all cases, but it always reduces its quality.
Content
- Principles of pain treatment
- What methods of pain treatment are used in Germany?
- Etiotropic and pathogenetic pain therapy in Germany
- Conservative methods of pain syndrome treatment in Germany
- Surgical methods of treatment
- Benefits of pain treatment in Germany
- Arrangement of pain syndrome treatment in Germany
Principles of pain treatment
Chronic pain can have different locations and origins. Therefore, it is treated in different ways. Most often, permanent pain occurs in such areas of the body:
- Spine (pain in the back, waist, neck);
- head (migraine, tension headache);
- pelvis, perineum, scrotum (often seen in men with prostatitis);
- joints, most often large - knee, hip;
- bones (with osteoporosis or after injuries).
Pain in almost any localization is caused by neuralgia. It occurs when the peripheral nerves are clamped (for example, facial nerve) or after an infection (for example, postherpetic intercostal neuralgia). One of the varieties of such pain is causalgia. This is a burning pain, caused by partial damage to the peripheral sensory nerve.
Most often, diseases of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, as well as malignant neoplasms of different localization, lead to constant pain. Oncopathology is accompanied by a strong pain syndrome. In the last stages of cancer, anesthesia is often the only treatment that is used.
What methods of pain treatment are used in Germany?
The principle of "medicine without pain" is professed in Germany. It applies not only in carrying out medical procedures, but also when using anesthesia as one of the main goals of the therapy.
The patient's survival rate is placed first in all German hospitals. But, the quality of a patient’s life after the treatment is of no small importance. German medicine, as one of the most developed countries in the world, pays special attention to the patient's ability to live a full life without experiencing pain every minute of their existence.
The main methods to fight against the pain syndrome are:
- elimination of the source of pain - treatment of a disease that causes pain;
- pain relief for a certain time - from several hours to several months;
- elimination of pain syndrome by surgical methods.
Etiotropic and pathogenetic pain therapy in Germany
Etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy is aimed at eliminating the main cause of pain syndrome. It provides radical treatment of the underlying disease. After that, the pain syndrome either goes away completely, or its intensity decreases significantly. The fight against pain syndrome in this way requires careful diagnosis to identify its cause.
For example:
- The cause of neuralgia of the facial nerve may be located in the brain vascular malformation. It presses on the nerve and causes pain syndrome. In this case, surgical or radiosurgical removal of the malformation will lead to the disappearance of the pain.
- The cause of back pain could be a herniated intervertebral disc. In these cases, an endoscopic nucleotomy is performed or another operation can eliminate it permanently.
- Pain syndrome in arthrosis is caused by dystrophy of the cartilaginous tissue. In these cases, surgery for endoprosthetics or matrix-induced chondrogenesis will help to get rid of the source of pain.
Elimination of the cause of the pain syndrome is the most preferred method of treatment. But, it is not always possible. Sometimes, doctors cannot find the cause of the pain. And, if it is known, it cannot always be eliminated. In these cases, conservative and surgical techniques are used to relieve pain.
Conservative methods of pain syndrome treatment in Germany
If your pain syndrome has chronic character, you’ll have to fight it constantly. Such conservative methods are used for it in Germany:
Drug intake. Usually, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, which a person takes constantly. Depending on the cause and location of the pain, other medications are also used that help to alleviate the condition of the patient.
For example:
- for a migraine, beta-blockers and serotonin receptor agonists are used;
- for joint pain – chondro-protectors are applied;
- for inflammatory pain (rheumatic and autoimmune diseases), glucocorticoids are used.
Methods of physiotherapy, like massage, acupuncture, hardware physiotherapy are all techniques that allow you to reduce or eliminate pain for a while.
Epidural injection plexuses and nerves. These are medical manipulations that are aimed at stopping the passage of impulses along the peripheral nerves to the central nervous system. To do this, drugs are introduced that block the conductivity of nerve fibers for a long time (from several weeks to several months).
Types of blockade are:
- intra-articular;
- selective radicular;
- blockages of plexuses (for example, abdominal plexus);
- sympathetic blockades.
Different types of pain require different approaches to treatment.
Surgical methods of treatment
Surgical methods of pain syndrome treatment are applied in Germany and are not aimed at the elimination of the whole disease, but at the elimination of one certain symptom, pain.
Such surgeries are used:
- Radiofrequency denervation. The essence of this method consists of damage to the peripheral nerves, which carry pain signals to the brain through sensitive nerve fibers. As a result, a region treated in this way completely loses its sensitivity.
- Morphine pumps are often used for the treatment of pain in cancer patients, with the syndrome being an operated spine, osteoporosis, arthritic pain, peripheral neuropathies, and other pathologies. The pump is implanted into the human body in a surgical way. It feeds the morphine intrathecally (into the cerebrospinal fluid) at a certain dosage. Some models of pumps allow a person to regulate the supply of analgesics, based on the severity of the pain syndrome. Filling the pump is done every 2-6 months at a doctor's office.
- Spinal electrostimulation. Electrodes are inserted into the spinal cord. The segment for their implementation is determined based on the localization of the pain syndrome. Initially, a trial stimulation is performed. If successful, the electrodes are left in the spinal cord, and the stimulation becomes permanent. This allows a patient to get rid of the pain, because the spinal cord stops receiving signals of pain within the segment. The patient has the ability to turn the device on, off, and adjust the amperage.
Benefits of pain treatment in Germany
Not just German citizens are treated here, but also a large number of foreign patients. They come to German hospitals to get the highest level of medical services.
Treatment of chronic pain in Germany has several advantages:
- Diagnostic capabilities. Thanks to high-precision diagnostic tests with a high probability of success, German doctors are able to establish the source of pain. In these cases, treatment of the underlying disease will lead to the complete elimination of the pain syndrome.
- Modern methods of surgical treatment of pain. The latest operations are available in Germany. They are conducted by highly qualified specialists, who have great authority in the world, using high-quality medical equipment.
- Security. Safe methods of treating pain syndrome are used in Germany and have a minimal risk of complications or side effects. The patient is constantly monitored by the doctors, and, if necessary, provided with medical care.
Arrangement of pain syndrome treatment in Germany
If you want to get rid of chronic pain syndrome, you can come to Germany to receive surgical or conservative treatment. You are welcome to use the online-platform, Booking Health, to choose your diagnostic and treatment program.
You can also refer to our services for the organization of treatment abroad. This gives you a number of advantages, such as:
- ability to focus on treatment - we take care of all organizational issues (document preparation, oral and written translations, transfer of the patient from the airport to the hospital, etc.);
- saving on medical services - up to 70%;
- insurance, which will cover all unforeseen medical expenses;
- consultation with the attending physician within 3 months after the treatment program is complete.
In Germany, you have a real opportunity to get rid of chronic pain syndrome. Leave an application on the website, so that we can find the right clinic for you.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Alexandra Solovey. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
IMTJ - International Medical Travel Journal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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