The suffering with the pain

Those who feel pain go to the doctor to find the cause. Primarily, organic causes are sought: for example, if there are complaints in the lower back area, it may be a herniated disc. The general practitioner will request imaging, the radiologist may recommend an orthopedist, and the specialist may prescribe physiotherapy, osteopathy, or other body therapies, as well as physical therapies. If the pain is not acute in the back, neck, or joints, but becomes chronic, a long journey of suffering often begins for those affected. But what if imaging procedures do not provide clarity, the pain persists, or moves to other regions, and the suspicion is: a psychological cause?

Treatment of body and soul

"When a patient with pain comes to me for the first time and reports on his long search for the diagnosis, he is often irritable because he has sometimes been accused of imagining the pain," says Dr. Patricia Kunz, specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine at Trinicum, who takes both her patients and their pain seriously. Her first task is to confirm that the events are definitely not imaginary. Mental stress such as stress, life crises, or traumatic experiences can trigger or exacerbate physical complaints and are described as psychosomatic illnesses. The term is derived from the Greek "psyche" for soul and "soma" for body. This can lead, among other things, to digestive problems, chronic back pain, heart problems, or tinnitus. "If you suffer from pain for a long time, it is stored in the pain memory and this affects the perception of pain," says Kunz. Then the pain sensation increases, even though the intensity remains the same or even decreases. In this case, harmless stimuli such as a touch can trigger pain. "The acute situation is processed based on old behavioral and pain reactions and is evaluated as negative. Corresponding synapses are already established and are activated again, even though there may be no longer any organic cause of pain," says Kunz.

Improve pain perception

Pain perception can be positively influenced by psychotropic drugs, such as antidepressants. "You no longer feel 'overwhelmed' by the pain and perceive it differently, which means that you can handle it better," says Kunz. Being overwhelmed by pain should definitely be avoided, as this can set off a whole chain of events that can also cause depression. "A lot happens in the minds of the patients. Often, a specific pain-triggering structure cannot be found in the osteopathic examination. The patients come with a whole book of active exercises, all of which do not help in the current situation, but would actually be useful. They are focused on their pain site and primarily unmotivated," says osteopath and physiotherapist Teresa Wilfing. Since the cause of the pain is not known or cannot be attributed to anatomical changes, the treatment of chronic pain patients is complex. Often, the patients are already resistant to therapy.

Integrative treatment approach

The advantage of a large pain center, where interdisciplinary cooperation is practiced, is that solutions for complaints can be found together. If the physiotherapist or osteopath notices, for example, that a pain is not exactly assignable or appears in new places, she can consult with the psychiatrist and offer the patients a drug and psychotherapeutic treatment. On the other hand, the psychiatrist and psychotherapist can recommend physiotherapy if the pain sensation is well adjusted with psychotropic drugs and exercises further support the healing process. Acupuncture can also provide necessary relaxation. Ultimately, all treating professionals have the goal of alleviating pain and promoting an improvement in the quality of life. Psychiatric and psychotherapeutic support can thus reduce the costs of already treatment-resistant patients and expand the newly gained sense of life through pain interventions to a positive private and professional everyday life.

Our blog post does not replace a visit to the doctor!
The articles are researched to the best of our knowledge and belief. They are for information purposes only and in no case replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Please always consult your doctor with any health-related questions!