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- pain Management
- joint pain
- a headache
- back pain
- neck pain
- stomach pain
pain Management
Does it sometimes pinch you? How to treat yourself and when to go to the doctor. From headache to backache: the best advice.
Pain , let it go! Twelve to 15 million Germans sigh so every day. Sometimes the skull growls, sometimes tweaks it in the back, sometimes the stomach presses: If pain is part of everyday life, life becomes agony. So what if the pain does not stop?
The good news: small changes in everyday life can prevent pain. Dr. Gerhard HH Müller-Schwefel, President of the German Association for Pain Therapy: " A well-trained musculature is a good pain remedy, sparing only aggravates the problems ." His advice for pain patients: " Keep a pain diary, note when it hurts you, and it can help your doctor quickly find the cause. " Here are the best tips for the most common types of pain .
joint pain
What is normal?
After physical exertion, the joints may hurt. But: Anyone who has limited mobility in the morning for more than 60 minutes or has swollen joints for six weeks should go to the doctor. Then there may be a rheumatic disease.
How do I help myself?
Take a bath with relaxing supplements (eg comfrey and arnica). Anyone who feels cold as pleasant, can rub the places with cooling Retterspitz (pharmacy).
What does the doctor?
Joint pain can have many reasons, eg. As an autoimmune or metabolic disease and a viral infection. Depending on the condition, the doctor will prescribe medication. Newly developed drugs, so-called biologics, can stop inflammatory rheumatic diseases, especially in patients in whom other drugs did not work.
a headache
What is normal?
Pain, the causes of which are known as after drinking alcohol or stress. If the pain is more frequent or very severe, you should go to the doctor.
How do I help myself?
Massage peppermint oil into the temples and forehead. Even a strong coffee or a glass of water with magnesium help.
What does the doctor?
He examines whether the headache may be a side effect of another condition, such as hypertension. For chronic pain, the so-called biofeedback method can help (health insurance pays in individual cases). In this therapy, the patient learns to perceive subconscious bodily functions and to actively control them. For example, the arteries can be dilated or narrowed by their own volition. After all, the frequency of pain can be reduced by about 50 percent.
back pain
What is normal?
85 percent of Germans have it in the cross at least once in their lives. The most common cause: too little exercise. However, if the pain suddenly or very violently escalates without reason, a doctor should be consulted.
How do I help myself?
Become active! Back-swimming, for example, strengthens the muscles and blood circulation. This relieves the pain. Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training reduce stress, which can also be a trigger for back pain.
What does the doctor?
In acute cases, he prescribed muscle-relaxing drugs. What is new is the so-called epiduroscopy, in which the doctor makes the spinal canal visible with the aid of a mini-camera and, in doing so, z. B. can inject a drug mix in the vicinity of the affected nerve. The health insurance companies pay the costs.
neck pain
What is normal?
Tension after long car rides or many hours in front of the computer are not uncommon. Behind permanent hardening but could also be a herniated disc.
How do I help myself?
Do not stay in one position for more than 30 minutes. Loosen your neck muscles often and gently, eg. B. by gently shaking his head.
What does the doctor?
New is the therapy with a soft laser (low-level laser therapy), which could prove in a recent study its effectiveness against chronic neck pain. It inhibits the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Currently, the costs are not yet taken over by the coffers and are from 40 euros per session. In some cases, the doctor injects a cortisone-containing preparation directly to the nerve roots. This also helps with chronic pain.
stomach pain
What is normal?
Stress and greasy food can hit your stomach . Persistent convulsions, nausea or diarrhea should be taken seriously. The symptoms may indicate a gastric ulcer or a life-threatening intestinal obstruction!
How do I help myself?
A hot water bottle and herbal teas (eg fennel anise caraway) relieve the symptoms.
What does the doctor?
Through an accurate questioning and investigation, he tries to find the trigger. Are the pain mental or due to food intolerance? A blood test and a gastroscopy can provide information. Often a stomach germ (Helicobacter pylori) is the cause. A mix of medications and a change in lifestyle with a healthy diet are often the solution.
