Der Schmerz
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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases. It is characterized by chronic abdominal pain, typically associated with altered bowel habits that cannot be explained by structural abnormalities in routine diagnostic workup. Based on the predominant symptom, IBS can be divided into different subtypes: IBS with predominant constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or pain. ⋯ Especially in patients with psychological comorbidities, antidepressants may be used. Modern drug treatments include the GC-C agonist linaclotide in IBS with predominant constipation, the locally acting antibiotic rifaximin in IBS with bloating, and 5-HT3 antagonists in IBS with predominant diarrhea. Psychotherapy should be included in an interdisciplinary approach in refractory cases or in psychological comorbidity.
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Apart from local inflammation and defects in secretion, central mechanisms are important for pain etiology in chronic pancreatitis. Therefore, centrally acting co-analgetic agents can be used in addition to classical pain medications. Endoscopic interventions are preferred in patients with obvious dilation of the pancreatic duct. ⋯ Primarily the underlying disease needs to be adequately treated. Symptomatic pain management will most likely include treatment with acetaminophen and tramadol as well as occasionally principles of a multimodal pain regimen. For the treatment of arthralgia as well as enteropathy-associated arthritis the same treatment options are available as for other spondyloarthritic disorders.
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Visceral pain is diffusely localized, referred into other tissues, frequently not correlated with visceral traumata, preferentially accompanied by autonomic and somatomotor reflexes, and associated with strong negative affective feelings. It belongs together with the somatic pain sensations and non-painful body sensations to the interoception of the body. (1) Visceral pain is correlated with the excitation of spinal (thoracolumbar, sacral) visceral afferents and (with a few exceptions) not with the excitation of vagal afferents. Spinal visceral afferents are polymodal and activated by adequate mechanical and chemical stimuli. ⋯ These control systems are under cortical control. (8) Visceral pain is referred to deep somatic tissues, to the skin and to other visceral organs. This referred pain consists of spontaneous pain and mechanical hyperalgesia. The mechanisms underlying referred pain and the accompanying tissue changes have been little explored.
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Chronic pelvic pain represents a multifactorial problem of unknown etiology. International standardized diagnostic and therapeutic approaches do not exist. ⋯ The success of multimodal therapeutic approaches in other chronic pain diseases should lead to the development and verification of these for chronic pelvic pain.
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Abdominal and thoracic surgical procedures can result in significant acute postoperative pain. Present evidence shows that postoperative pain management remains inadequate especially after "minor" surgical procedures. Various therapeutic options including regional anesthesia techniques and systemic pharmacotherapy are available for effective treatment of postoperative pain. ⋯ Special focus is given to the controversial debate about the indication for epidural analgesia, as well as various alternative therapeutic options, including transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block, paravertebral block (PVB), wound infiltration with local anesthetics, and intravenous lidocaine. In additional, indications and contraindications of nonopioid analgesics after abdominal and thoracic surgery are discussed and recommendations based on scientific evidence and individual risk and benefit analysis are made. All therapeutic options discussed are eligible for clinical use and may contribute to improve postoperative pain outcome after abdominal and thoracic surgical procedures.