Der Schmerz
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Data on administrative prevalence, types of treatment and disease costs of patients diagnosed with somatoform pain disorder (according to ICD 10) in Germany were not previously available. ⋯ Insurants diagnosed with somatoform pain disorder were probably overtreated with radiology and invasive procedures and with opioids.
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The recent introduction of amendments to the medical licensure laws led to the introduction of the field of pain medicine into the study program "Human Medicine". The implementation has to be completed by all medical faculties before 2016. ⋯ The DGSS curriculum is a useful tool for the implementation of pain medicine in a study program. In order to improve access to basic pain medicine in general, a combined teaching program consisting of pain medicine and general medicine could be helpful. Pain medicine could be used as a guide for teaching contents of outpatient medicine.
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Review
[Multidisciplinary assessment for multimodal pain therapy : Indications and range of performance].
According to evidence-based German national guidelines for non-specific low back pain, a broad multidisciplinary assessment is indicated after persisting pain experience of 6 weeks in order to check the indications for an multi- and interdisciplinary pain therapy program. In this paper the necessary topics, the content and the disciplines involved as well as the extent of the multidisciplinary assessment are described as developed by the ad hoc commission on multimodal pain therapy of the German Pain Society.
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Establishing a trustful therapeutic relationship and reflecting on attitudes and behavior is essential in caring for patients with functional pain syndromes. Hope-disappointment circles are common and can be intensified by unfavorable caregiver behavior. A biopsychosocial, empathetic and coping-oriented attitude has proved to be useful. A motivating communication is recommended that carefully explores the pain and its interactions with psychosocial factors following the three typical phases of accepting complaints, establishing biopsychosocial understanding and developing coping strategies.