[Pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis-related pain]. / Pharmakotherapie bei Arthroseschmerzen.

Joint pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) is often severe and disabling and affects a large proportion of the aging population impairing daily living and quality of life. Numerous pharmacological treatment approaches are available. Including major OA guidelines this review presents the current evidence of pharmacological therapies in OA-related pain and covers topical, oral and intraarticular treatment approaches. In patients with mild OA topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be recommended. Topical capsaicin can be used when other treatments are ineffective or contraindicated. In patients with moderate to severe OA oral NSAIDs are suggested at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible duration to control symptoms. Importantly, drug-related side effects and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal comorbidities need to be taken into account. In patients with multiple-joint OA and high risk of NSAID-induced adverse events duloxetine can be considered. The evidence of metamizole, symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis and other nutritional supplements in the treatment of OA pain is uncertain and the use of opioids is not routinely recommended. In patients suffering from severe OA-related pain intraarticular injections with glucocorticoids can be suggested to achieve short-term pain relief. Evidence for interventional approaches using hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma is uncertain. Yet, the efficacy of pharmacological therapies in OA-related pain is often inconsistent and severe adverse events might occur. Thus, critical use of the different treatment options considering patient-related comorbidities and nonpharmacological therapies is of major importance.

[Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy in fibromyalgia syndrome : Updated guidelines 2017 and overview of systematic review articles]. / Physiotherapie, Ergotherapie und physikalische Verfahren beim Fibromyalgiesyndrom : Aktualisierte Leitlinie 2017 und Übersicht von systematischen Übersichtsarbeiten.

BACKGROUND: The regular update of the guidelines on fibromyalgia syndrome, AWMF number 145/004, was scheduled for April 2017. METHODS: The guidelines were developed by 13 scientific societies and 2 patient self-help organizations coordinated by the German Pain Society. Working groups (n =8) with a total of 42 members were formed balanced with respect to gender, medical expertise, position in the medical or scientific hierarchy and potential conflicts of interest. A literature search for systematic reviews of randomized, controlled trials on physiotherapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy from December 2010 to May 2016 was performed in the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus databases. Levels of evidence were assigned according to the classification system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine version 2009. The strength of recommendations was achieved by multiple step formalized procedures to reach a consensus. Efficacy, risks, patient preferences and applicability of available therapies were weighed up against each other. The guidelines were reviewed and approved by the board of directors of the societies engaged in the development of the guidelines. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Low to moderate intensity endurance and strength training are strongly recommended. Chiropractic, laser therapy, magnetic field therapy, massage and transcranial magnetic stimulation are not recommended.

[Functional Electrical Stimulation in a Case of Drop Foot and Atactic Gait: Expert Assessment of Contested Medical Aids]. / Funktionelle Elektrostimulation bei Fußheberschwäche und ataktischem Gangbild: Gutachterliches Vorgehen bei streitiger Hilfsmittelversorgung.

Expert medical opinions are necessary in pretrial cases and other legal matters. They act as means of evidence for administrative bodies and courts. It may be necessary to adapt the method of evaluation depending upon the issue or subject matter to be evaluated. We report on a social court case, which needed to answer the question of the medical necessity of a functional electrical stimulation orthosis prescribed to improve the function of a drop foot accompanied by an atactic gait disorder. The claimant suffered from a stroke, which had occurred several years before. Her aids were an ankle-foot-orthosis for foot lift and a wheeled walker. The current treatment was to be augmented by the disputed device. The statutory health insurance declined to meet the costs. They failed to find relevant benefits after analysis of video tapes of the patient's gait while using an electrical stimulation orthosis. The social court requested an expert opinion to answer the question as to whether or not there was a relevant functional benefit to using functional electrical stimulation over the existing orthosis or to an alternative treatment. Video documentation was desired by the court. We used the clinic's gait analysis laboratory, which is equipped with a gait course and the claimed video documentation. Standardised video documentation offers substantial advantages for answering forensic questions such as these. It assures reproducibility and comparability of all tested scenarios, with objectification of the individual advantages or limitations. This gain in both validity and reliability fulfills the scientific requirements placed upon an expert assessment.

[Chronic pain care : Reality and entitlement]. / Versorgung chronischer Schmerzen : Wirklichkeit und Anspruch.

From the point of view of healthcare policies, improvement in pain care has been required for years; however, there is a great discrepancy between the current need for pain care and the actual provision by healthcare services. This article seeks to demonstrate that while healthcare policies are one of the critical factors involved, a variety of conceptual, diagnostic and therapeutic causes should also be taken into account. Firstly, considering that pain care is primarily concerned with the suffering of pain by patients, the focus lies with their conscious experience in order to define the patients' understanding of pain. Additionally, in this article current biomedical and psychosocial comprehension concerning chronic pain will be illustrated and why it is necessary to broaden our horizons in order to do justice to patients with chronic pain.

[Acute inpatient multimodal pain therapy and rehabilitation: Framework conditions, tasks and differentiated patient allocation]. / Akutstationäre multimodale Schmerztherapie und Rehabilitation: Rahmenbedingungen, Aufgaben und differenzierte Patientenzuweisung.

Multimodal pain treatment programs are widely accepted as the medical treatment standard in the management of patients with chronic pain syndromes. The concepts and treatment strategies are based on the biopsychosocial model of pain and programs for early restoration of function. Although this concept is primarily implemented in the curative field, i.e. in hospitals for the treatment of patients with chronic pain diseases, modified programs based on the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) can now also be found in rehabilitation clinics. Despite the assumed similarities, significant differences in, for example the aims of the therapy and relevant structural and process variables have to be kept in mind when allocating patients to a program as provided by a hospital or a rehabilitation clinic. The aim of this article is to present the framework structures of both treatment levels with respect to the implementation of multimodal pain therapy programs and to elucidate the differential diagnostic approach to the indications.

[Chronic knee pain and specific heat phobia. A case report]. / Chronischer Knieschmerz bei spezifischer Hitzephobie. Ein Fallbericht.

This case report presents the medical history of a patient suffering from chronic knee pain with specific heat phobia who had a long history of sick certificates. Using multimodal pain therapy and biofeedback therapy the acquired anxiety disorder could be solved. Long-term working ability could be achieved.

[Cytokines in psychoneuroendocrine immunological context of nonspecific musculoskeletal pain]. / Zytokine im psychoneuroendokrin-immunologischen Kontext unspezifischer muskuloskeletaler Schmerzen.

Cytokines are coordinators of immune homeostasis. Evidence for the participation of cytokines in neurogenic inflammation, peripheral and central sensitization and hyperalgesia as well as for induction of inflammatory immune responses by pain-related catastrophizing is well documented. A disproportion of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is known to be a contributory cause of pain and pain behavior. Embedded into psychoneuroendocrine immunological feedback control systems cytokines are able to perpetuate a virtuous circle between local inflammation and systemic pain behavior (pain/sickness behavior) thus contributing to chronification of nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.In this model avoidance and pain-related nonrecognition as key components of systemic pain behavior lead to maintenance of the virtuous circle by generating of a local inflammation with local and systemic consequences. This model can explain the success of established therapy concepts from the point of view of psychoneuroimmunology, such as fear avoidance, which are effectively used as principal components in multimodal pain therapy.

[Physiotherapy and physical therapies for fibromyalgia syndrome. Systematic review, meta-analysis and guideline]. / Physiotherapie und physikalische Verfahren beim Fibromyalgiesyndrom. Systematische Übersicht, Metaanalyse und Leitlinie.

BACKGROUND: The scheduled update to the German S3 guidelines on fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften", AWMF; registration number 041/004) was planned starting in March 2011. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The development of the guidelines was coordinated by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Pain Therapy ("Deutsche Interdisziplinären Vereinigung für Schmerztherapie", DIVS), 9 scientific medical societies and 2 patient self-help organizations. Eight working groups with a total of 50 members were evenly balanced in terms of gender, medical field, potential conflicts of interest and hierarchical position in the medical and scientific fields. Literature searches were performed using the Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases (until December 2010). The grading of the strength of the evidence followed the scheme of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The formulation and grading of recommendations was accomplished using a multi-step, formal consensus process. The guidelines were reviewed by the boards of the participating scientific medical societies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise and strength training are strongly recommended. Chiropractic, laser therapy, magnetic field therapy, massage and transcranial current stimulation are not recommended. The English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink (under "Supplemental").

[Multimodal pain therapy: principles and indications]. / Multimodale Schmerztherapie: Konzepte und Indikation.

Multimodal pain therapy describes an integrated multidisciplinary treatment in small groups with a closely coordinated therapeutical approach. Somatic and psychotherapeutic procedures cooperate with physical and psychological training programs. For chronic pain syndromes with complex somatic, psychological and social consequences, a therapeutic intensity of at least 100 hours is recommended. Under these conditions multimodal pain therapy has proven to be more effective than other kinds of treatment. If monodisciplinary and/or outpatient therapies fail, health insurance holders have a legitimate claim to this form of therapy.Medical indications are given for patients with chronic pain syndromes, but also if there is an elevated risk of chronic pain in the early stadium of the disease and aiming at delaying the process of chronification. Relative contraindications are a lack of motivation for behavioural change, severe mental disorders or psychopathologies and addiction problems. The availability of multimodal pain treatment centers in Germany is currently insufficient.

[Physiotherapy, exercise and strength training and physical therapies in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome]. / Physiotherapie, medizinische Trainingstherapie und physikalische Therapie beim Fibromyalgiesyndrom.

BACKGROUND: A guideline for the treatment and diagnostic procedures for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) was developed in cooperation with 10 German medical and psychological associations and 2 patient self-help groups. METHODS: A systematic literature search including all controlled studies evaluating physiotherapy, exercise and strength training as well as physical therapies was performed in the Cochrane Collaboration Reviews (1993-12/2006), Medline (1980-12/2006), PsychInfo (1966-12/2006) and Scopus (1980-12/ 2006). Levels of evidence were assigned according to the classification system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Grading of the strengths of recommendations was done according to the German program for disease management guidelines. Standardized procedures to reach a consensus on recommendations were used. RESULTS: Aerobic exercise training is strongly recommended (grade A) and the temporary use of whole body hyperthermia, balneotherapy and spa therapy is recommended (grade B). CONCLUSION: The significance which can be assigned to most of the studies on the various procedures for therapy is restricted due to short study duration (mean 6-12 weeks) and small sample sizes.

[Pain and consciousness. Articles from the summer workshop held by the German Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Pain Therapy (DIVS) in 2005]. / Schmerz und Bewusstsein. Beiträge des Sommerworkshops der Deutschen Interdisziplinären Vereinigung für Schmerztherapie e.V. (DIVS) 2005.

Six articles are presented which illustrate the activities at the summer workshop "Pain and awareness" held 27-28 May 2005 in Marienfeld by the German Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Pain Therapy (DIVS). One article on pain constructs in the mind explains the advantages of functional imaging methods: these enable characterization of partial aspects of pain processing in the brain and the mechanisms that lead to chronic states of pain syndromes. A further overview explains the influence of different drugs on pain perception and various conscious states. How back pain patients experience their illness was analyzed in a study using an explanatory model interview: somatic aspects were dominant, but in three-fourths of the patients psychological illness attributions also played a role. A summary from the perspective of religious history and theology explores how pain is interpreted and accepted in various religious communities. Another article addresses hypnosis as a complementary technique to anesthesia procedures in surgical medicine, for treating chronic pain and experimental acute pain. The last contribution deals with how people in different cultures experience pain: ethnocentric bias can lead to difficulties in communication and misjudgments when treating foreign-born patients. All in all the workshop highlighted important formative factors in pain processing in a condensed form and offered stimulating perspectives for this area of pain research and future treatment options.

[Possible conservative treatment methods for patients with spinal claudication]. / Möglichkeiten konservativer Behandlungsmethoden bei Patienten mit Claudicatio spinalis.

The success of multimodal therapy for patients with symptoms of spinal canal stenosis lasting >6 months was investigated in a prospective study. Clinical (age, weight, height) and morphological data were collected for 36 patients (21 women and 15 men) with an average age of 67 years. The extent of narrowing in the spinal space (diameter of the dural sac <100 mm(2)) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging at segments L1-S1. Impairments in daily activities were assessed by questionnaire before a 3-week multimodal treatment regimen and 3 weeks and 6 months thereafter. In addition, depression status and walking distance on a treadmill were evaluated. Of the 180 segments examined, 124 evidenced a diameter of the dural sac of <100 mm(2). The average functional capacity improved with treatment from 46.7 to 53.5 (p<0.001) and the average depression status decreased from 13.5 to 11 (p>0.05). The average walking distance was 373 m before treatment and 565 m after treatment (p<0.001). Short-term improvement of the walking distance was achieved with the conservative treatment implemented. Medium- and long-term results remain unclear. Predictors for treatment success (age, sex, BMI, functional capacity, walking ability before treatment) could not be found. No scientific evidence can be gleaned from the literature in this regard so that further prospective studies should be performed.

[Aspects of conservative sciatic pain therapy]. / Aspekte konservativer Ischialgiebehandlung.

Successful multimodal conservative treatment of sciatic pain will prevent unfavorable results of life discectomy and accelerates the natural course. In assessment of modalities of conservative treatment of sciatic pain, somatic and psychosomatic aspects have to be considered. Severe neurological deficits caused by lumbar disc herniation have to be treated surgically. Conservative treatment of sciatic pain follows the etiopathogenetic hypothesis of a centrally triggered and radicularly terminated inflammation; it reflects the biopsychosocial paradigm. Inflammatory alterations in the disc and psychosocial peculiarities of the patients prove this disease model. Conservative treatment of sciatic pain does not determine its, but works by the combined operation of different but etiopathogenetic or scientifically efficient means. Somatic therapy aims at blocking the inflammatory cascade by peridural and systemic antiphlogistic drugs, sufficiently applied analgesics and temporally limited bedrest. Physiotherapy and sports therapy for remobilization will follow. Psychosomatic therapy works through relaxation, support and interpretation. Physiotherapy, relaxation and verbal intervention work prophylactically, too. The patient-doctor relationship plays a crucial role in conservative treatment of sciatic pain.