The Deutsche Schmerzgesellschaft e.V. (German Pain Society), a professional association that provides the latest scientific and medical knowledge for more than 3,600 personal members and is made up of interdisciplinary and interprofessional pain experts from clinics, practices, psychology, nursing and physiotherapy as well as pain scientists from research, universities and teaching, demands that patients with chronic pain should not be allowed to fall by the wayside in times of the coronavirus pandemic. More than every fourth person (23 million) in Germany suffers from chronic pain, which includes headaches and migraines, joint pain and rheumatism, as well as pain resulting from operations, etc. That is why a „protective shield for pain patients“ is required, especially in times of crisis, explains the managing director of the German Pain Society, Thomas Isenberg, because in some cases pain patients do not even know exactly what therapy options exist and where help could be provided. The pain treatment of these chronically tormented patients is essential. Without good pain therapy, there is no chance of a life with a good quality of life. Multimodal pain therapies are the be-all and end-all of good pain treatment, in which various specialist areas work together. These include treatment with medication, physiotherapy and psychotherapy, occupational therapy and all areas with relaxation exercises. In order to gain insight into the various individual therapy approaches, every year there is the nationwide „Action Day against Pain“, which this year takes place for the ninth time on 2 June. A completely new feature is that since 6 May, patients have been able to obtain information by telephone every Wednesday in May, divided up according to time windows on different topics. Pain experts are available at 0800/1818120 to answer questions from anxious pain patients with advice and tips. In these individual pain expert telephone conversations, however, there is no diagnosis, no pain treatment and no patient loyalty, Isenberg expressly emphasises. In addition, there are so-called self-help telephone conferences or video telephone rounds in which patients can receive tips and advice, also among themselves. The same rules apply as for individual telephone conversations. Anyone who would like to find out more about all the services offered by the German Pain Society can not only use the free telephone hotline (see above) but can also research on the Internet at www.schmerzgesellschaft.de/patientenhotline.
