Pain is an important. Protective warning signal from our body. But sometimes they get out of control. Need targeted pain therapy by experienced experts.
Pain subsides!
Headaches, back pain or abdominal pain – each of us is familiar with them and is exposed to them almost every day. Whether an injury, an illness or a particular stressful situation, the causes of pain are as individual as the pain experience itself. But how does pain arise in the first place?. What function it fulfills? What happens when pain becomes chronic? And which painkillers help with which type of pain?
Why we perceive pain
Sometimes it is a twinge or throbbing in the head, other times a pinch or pull in the stomach. Pain can have the most diverse manifestations. Are always a very individual emotional experience. However, our perception of pain is by no means a superfluous and annoying bodily function. In fact, it is our body's own alarm system that protects us from greater damage.
If we injure ourselves or if a disease causes damage to the tie, the so-called nociceptors in the skin or organs send an alarm signal in the form of electrical impulses via the spinal cord to our brain. In this way, the necessary reflexes are triggered, which protect us from further damage, even before the pain impulse is consciously perceived by the brain. As a result, we automatically pull our hand away from the hot baking tray, for example, or go to the doctor because our sinuses are inflamed and ache. The nociceptors react to different stimuli such as heat, cold, but also prere or stretching.
PAINKILLERS – WHAT HELPS WHEN?
Painkillers are available in many variations, whether as tablets, suppositories, juice or even granules. You can find out which substance can best help with which type of pain in our overview.
Ideal for colds, flu and fever
mild to moderate pain, fever
tablets, granules, drops, juice, suppositories, injection solution
Quick help for joint pain
Mild to moderate pain, for example acute and chronic joint inflammation, swelling, bruising
analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic
Tablets, capsules, drops, suppositories, gel, patches, injection solution
depending on the dose ca. 4 hours
Makes comp pain disappear
mild to moderate pain, but also migraine, fever, prevention of blood clots
analgesic, antirheumatic, antipyretic, anticoagulant
tablets, granules, powder, capsules, suppositories, solution for injection
depending on the dose up to approx. 6 hours
The multifunctional analgesic
acute and chronic joint inflammation, irritation caused by athrosis, painful swellings after injuries, but also headaches, toothaches or fever
analgesic and anti-inflammatory
Tablets, suppositories, juice
depending on the dose ca. 4 – 6 hours
Please consult your general practitioner or specialist in the event of prolonged complaints or the simultaneous use of other medications.
Acute VS. Chronic pain
Even though pain always appears very individually, it can be roughly divided into two categories in the first step: acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain is usually limited to the damaged area, for example in the event of an injury or sudden onset of illness. If the cause is treated and the damage heals, the pain usually disappears as well.
The situation is different when pain becomes chronic. In this case, the pain has lost its warning function and has virtually burned itself in, colloquially also called pain memory. "We talk about chronic pain when it lasts longer than six months and recurs more frequently than every day like chronic migraines," explains anesthesiologist Dr. Gundula Frank from the Asklepios Clinic North. Then the pain is no longer just a symptom, but the disease itself. As a result, those affected not only suffer from the pain, but often also have to put up with further restrictions. Many withdraw from social life, are no longer able to work or even suffer from depression. "Pain can have an impact on your whole life," says Dr. Frank. In this case, only a targeted. Individually tailored multimodal pain therapy. The only thing that helps here is a targeted. Individually tailored multimodal pain therapy. The reasons for a chronic pain disease are very diverse. Often not obvious at first glance. This is where multimodal pain therapy comes in, addressing the patient's pain at different levels. It is based on the biopsychosocial model, which considers physical and psychological factors in connection as the cause of pain. Every pain therapy at the ZIS at the Asklepios Klinik Hamburg Nord begins with a detailed medical and, above all, specialist diagnosis, for example by an orthopedist or a neurologist. Subsequently, experts from other disciplines supplement the therapy, such as pain, physical and occupational therapists. Psychological care and accompanying individual and group talk therapy also help to get to the bottom of the causes or pain-reinforcing behaviors and to eliminate them. In this way, an individually tailored therapy is created for each patient, which helps to break the vicious circle. As part of the multimodal pain therapy, patients also learn techniques to actively counteract pain in everyday life and improve their quality of life in the long term.