Volksstimme telephone forum
Another edition of the Volksstimme telephone forum will take place on Tuesday, January 16, 2023. Readers can ask questions on the topic of "Living with and getting help for chronic pain" to Dr. Lars Büntjen, Senior Physician at the University Clinic for Stereotactic Neurosurgery and Dr. Michael Brinkers, Senior Physician at the University Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy Magdeburg.
When persistent pain becomes a daily companion, many questions often arise, which will be answered by the two experts. Their aim is to inform interested parties about the latest developments in the field and about ways to prevent, treat and alleviate chronic pain. Questions can be asked from 10:00 to 12:00 by calling 0391-532970.
When complaints such as back, joint or post-operative scar pain last longer than about three months or recur regularly, doctors speak of chronic pain. An estimated twelve million people in Germany suffer from chronic pain. Those affected often repeatedly visit different doctors and undergo various treatment approaches without the symptoms disappearing completely.
Dr. Lars Büntjen, senior physician at the University Clinic for Stereotactic Neurosurgery in Magdeburg, is a specialist in the surgical treatment of movement disorders, epilepsy and chronic pain disorders. So-called neuromodulative forms of treatment for chronic pain range from treating the spinal cord with mild, usually imperceptible electrical impulses to deep brain stimulation. The therapy is carried out using small implants worn under the skin. The basic idea behind these forms of therapy is based on the understanding that pain originates in our brain and spinal cord. A prerequisite for the use of these techniques is, as far as medically justifiable, successful test stimulation. Neuromodulation is a low-side-effect addition to medication and psychological forms of treatment. Modern pain therapy is based on the assumption that chronic pain is caused by biological as well as psychological and social factors. The majority of chronic pain patients therefore require a multimodal therapy approach. This means that medicinal, psychological, physiotherapeutic and neuromodulative procedures must complement each other in order to achieve an optimal therapeutic outcome. While drug therapies are widely used and the corresponding pharmaceuticals are already taught in medical school, neuromodulation as a form of therapy is little known to many doctors. Despite numerous positive scientific publications, the mode of action of neuromodulation is not fully understood. In addition to clinical care, the Clinic for Stereotactic Neurosurgery is therefore also responsible for researching how neuromodulatory procedures work. Chronic pain patients can make an appointment for an initial consultation by calling 0391-67-14487.
Dr. Michael Brinkers, senior physician in the outpatient pain clinic at the University Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy Magdeburg, informs patients about the opportunities and risks of drug-based pain treatments, physiotherapy and complementary medicine for various conditions, including rheumatic diseases, non-specific back pain, neurological diseases such as polyneuropathy, surgical sequelae and tumors.
Psychosomatic treatment can be useful for chronic pain. Psychosomatic pain disorders often manifest themselves in various ways, such as headaches or complaints such as persistent back pain. The pain can occur locally in certain areas or affect the entire body. Many sufferers react to the persistent pain with depression, sleep disorders, anxiety and depressive symptoms, among other things, which can create a vicious circle that further intensifies the sensation of pain. One aim of treating chronic pain in psychosomatic medicine is to combine different therapeutic approaches in order to develop individual treatment concepts for patients. Contact option for those affected: Psychosomatic Outpatient Clinic of the University Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (Director: Prof. Dr. med. Florian Junne) under the telephone number: Tel.: 0391-67-14251
The two experts from Magdeburg University Hospital will talk about pain therapies and provide insights into various forms of therapy. Interested parties and sufferers can also ask their personal questions about chronic pain.
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