Chronic spinal pain is a symptom of many diseases, such as osteochondrosis, spinal disc herniation, or facet joint syndrome. Less common causes of chronic spinal pain may be tumors, inflammation, or long-term consequences of spinal injuries. The prevalence of chronic spinal pain among the world's population is 23% and continues to grow due to the increase in life expectancy. If you have back pain, you can go to Germany for diagnostics and treatment. The pain syndrome can often be eliminated with conservative therapy, and if it does not work, doctors will perform minimally invasive procedures or surgical interventions.
Content
- Conservative therapy
- Treatment of the underlying disease
- Implantation of an epidural catheter
Chronic pain is treated with drugs and non-drug procedures, if possible. If they do not help, cell therapy and spinal drug blocks can be used. If they are ineffective, minimally invasive procedures or surgical interventions can be used.
You can seek medical attention from the Hospital Neuwerk Moenchengladbach, the Vivantes Auguste-Viktoria Hospital Berlin, or the Catholic Clinic Koblenz-Montabaur.
If you use the Booking Health services, you will not have to worry about organizing your trip abroad on your own. We will help you select a hospital and arrange your treatment on your preferred dates. We will also book hotel and airline tickets, meet you at the German airport, and take you to the hospital by car.
Conservative therapy
Pain can often be managed with conservative methods. Patients are prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and vitamins. Physiotherapy, massage, spinal traction, acupuncture, and therapeutic exercises help to achieve faster results and reduce the need for painkillers.
If these methods fail, doctors can block the nerves that transmit pain impulses. Local anesthetics, sometimes in combination with glucocorticoids, are injected into the region of sensory nerves, facet joints, or epidural space.
Cell therapy is becoming increasingly popular at German hospitals. Platelet-rich plasma and stem cells are injected into degenerative tissues such as facet joints or intervertebral discs. They stimulate regeneration, providing long-term pain elimination or relief.
Treatment of the underlying disease
Back pain occurs due to spinal diseases. German doctors carry out diagnostics to determine the origin of the pain syndrome and, if possible, eliminate or compensate for it.
Minimally invasive or surgical treatment of chronic spinal pain in Germany may include the following procedures and surgical interventions:
- radiofrequency denervation, cryoneurolysis, or chemical neurolysis of the medial branch of the sensitive spinal nerve (performed through a skin puncture);
- laser vaporization of a herniated disc;
- endoscopic nucleotomy, discectomy, or intervertebral disc replacement;
- laminectomy or facetectomy (removal of vertebral arches or facet joints) with rigid or dynamic vertebral fixation.
In Germany, operations are performed by experienced specialists who achieve excellent results. Whenever possible, doctors use less traumatic approaches and maintain the stability of the spine.
Implantation of an epidural catheter
If surgical treatment is not possible or contraindicated, chronic pain can be managed by implanting an epidural catheter. Doctors place a port system to continuously deliver drugs into the epidural space using a pump.
The catheter is inserted through a skin puncture, and the reservoir is placed under the skin. This is a minimally invasive intervention that lasts about 40 minutes and does not require long-term rehabilitation. After its performance, the drugs are not injected into the spine but into the reservoir, from where they are delivered at a prescribed rate through a thin tube into the epidural space.
The technique effectively eliminates pain, allowing doctors to administer drugs without any significant discomfort. It has been used in Europe since the 1980s, when an implantable device for opiate therapy was implemented for the first time in the world. Today, these devices have been improved, allowing doctors to easily manage the treatment process while, at the same time, simplifying it. Local anesthetics can be injected through the port to block sensitivity and eliminate back pain.
You can seek medical attention from one of the German medical centers to undergo your back pain diagnostics, treatment, and neurological rehabilitation. Through the Booking Health service, you can find out the cost of medical services and choose a medical care program at the best price. We will help you select clinics in Germany and arrange your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. 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:
SPINE-health
Healthline
Verywell Health
