Der Schmerz
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In recent years nurses have come to play a professional role in pain management. In Germany, the publication of the national expert standards on pain management in nursing resulted in nurses being educated to be pain resource nurses; however, since education has started the continuance and commitments of specialized pain nurses in clinical practice is basically unclear. The goal of this evaluation was to identify how pain resource nurses are involved in pain management and organizational aspects in German hospitals. ⋯ The study shows a first insight into the task profiles of pain resource nurses. The implementation of this special qualification is meaningful and seems to be well-recognized in the hospitals. The tasks of patient care are orientated to the spectrum of patients treated in the hospital. The tasks of education also show the importance for the education of colleagues.
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Headaches are a frequent health problem among children and adolescents. The ocurrence of headaches and the resulting impairments in the quality of life and activities of daily living are modulated by biopsychosocial interactions, which necessitate a complex treatment program. The Dresden Childrens Headache Program (DreKiP) is a multidisciplinary therapy program consisting of eight modules for children and adolescents: education, stress relief, relaxation techniques, physical fitness, climbing therapy, art therapy and sensory training. ⋯ The headache frequency was reduced from an initial median of 15 days per month to a median of 8 days per month after the program. The multidisciplinary program DreKiP improves the use of therapeutic means in children and adolescents with primary headaches. Children and adolescents with headache-related impairment in activities of daily life in school and leisure times constitute the target group of this therapy.
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With the implementation of the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) reimbursement system in hospitals, interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy was incorporated into the associated catalogue of procedures (OPS 8‑918). Yet, the presented criteria describing the procedure of interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy are neither precise nor unambiguous. This has led to discrepancies in the interpretation regarding the handling of the procedure-making it difficult for medical services of health insurance companies to evaluate the accordance between the delivered therapy and the required criteria. ⋯ Thus, the authors further discuss specific aspects towards further development of the OPS-code. However, the application of the OPS-code still leaves room regarding treatment intensity and process quality. Therefore, the delivery of pain management in sufficient quantity and quality still remains the responsibility of each health care provider.
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In the context of an unsuccessful treatment over several years of existing knee pain after various sports injuries, a young, healthy female patient was treated with a novel pain balm based on traditional Chinese medicine. This resulted in a significant improvement in the stimulation and pain conditions without any recognizable local and systemic side effects.
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The differentiated consideration of cervical and lumbar pain syndromes leads to a decoding of complaints to assignable pain generators which enables a targeted injection method. Depending on the origin of pain injections are placed at the nerve root or the joints. ⋯ A correct technical procedure is of enormous importance. Because pharmacological effects and special complications are possible, monitoring and precautions are mandatory.