Der Schmerz
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The efficacy of morphine and other opioids in the treatment of severe pain, especially cancer pain, is undoubted. If opioids are used according to the WHO guidelines no severe side effects or psychological dependence develop. In Germany the use of strong opioids is controlled by law and requires a special prescription with offical forms and difficult regulations. ⋯ The prescription patterns we found demonstrate inadequate medical care of patients with severe pain. Continuous pain therapy with strong opioids was found in only a few cases. The main reason for this situation is the law pertaining the use of opioid drugs, with its difficult and restrictive regulations. This law cannot stop the development of increasing illegal drug consumption, but obstructs the medical care of patients with severe pain.
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Although the greatest part of the human body is composed of muscle, diseases of the muscle, such as muscular dystrophies and inflamatory or metabolic myopathies, occur invery few patients. On the other hand, myalgia is one of the most common symptoms in routine clinical medicine. This is problematic, because muscular pain can be caused by many different physical and psychiatric diseases. In order to avoid unecessary and expensive laboratory tests a careful examination of clinical symptoms and signs is necessary.