Germany: chronic facial pain a serious problem
Next Tuesday, June 1, the German Pain Society (Deutsche Schmerzgesellschaft, DS) will hold a nationwide campaign to strengthen pain care. The campaign concerns m.in. facial pain, including pain in the temporomandibular joints.
According to estimates, as many as 23 million Germans, or about 28% of the Federal Republic's population, suffer from chronic pain – these are m.in. Migraine pain, joint pain, muscle tension or pain as a consequence of past surgical procedures. A large number of them, as 6 million citizens struggle with pain in their daily lives, and 2.2 million suffer from such severe discomfort that it does not go unnoticed in their mental health (it is the cause of various types of disorders).
However, care for such a large group of pain patients in Germany is still patchy, and has been limited to some extent in recent months due to barriers related to the COVID-19 pandemic (m.in. Difficult access to many specialized facilities).
For this reason, the main goal of the nationwide "Day of Action Against Pain," celebrated for the tenth time, is to reach out with information, counseling and education for patients struggling with this problem. The day of action is intended to give those affected an opportunity to talk to specialists in pain medicine. About 150 outpatient clinics, dispensaries, pharmacies and care facilities in every German state will hold information events, although some only online.
Patients living in Germany also have the opportunity to seek advice over the phone, using a toll-free hotline open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (no. 0800 1818120). The pain management experts on duty there answer questions, provide practical tips on how to manage pain and advise patients on how to get the right support and start therapy.
In conjunction with the campaign, the Deutsche Schmerzgesellschaft has prepared seven leaflets for patients, downloadable from the Society's website, including one on facial pain issues . Through this route, our western neighbors are being informed about the most common ailments of the facial region: pains of the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles, trigeminal neuralgia, as well as unusual pains in this region.
