Der Schmerz
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Observational Study
[Acupuncture covered by statutory health insurance in Germany : An observational study based on claims data].
The coverage for acupuncture for chronic lower back or knee pain by the statutory health insurance was introduced in 2007. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of patients and providers of acupuncture and temporal and regional trends in the utilization of acupuncture. ⋯ Higher utilization of acupuncture by women reflects the epidemiology of back and knee pain and their preference for alternative complementary medicine. On the one hand, the large proportion of patients treated repeatedly with acupuncture suggests perceived benefits. On the other hand, provision of acupuncture services is decreasing continuously and a relevant proportion of subjects are terminating treatment prematurely.
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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.
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Case Reports
[Unsuccessful pain treatment over 6 years of a thoracic radiculopathy caused by an unrecognized Tarlov cyst].
This article presents a case of unsuccessful pharmaceutical and invasive pain treatment for 6 years without any adequate diagnostics in a female suffering from unilateral thoracic radiculopathy (Th8, right) leading to severe disability and unemployment. The origin was an undetected Tarlov cyst. ⋯ This case underlines the necessity of adequate diagnostics ahead of long-term pain treatment. Thoracic Tarlov cysts are very uncommon but should be included in the differential diagnosis because curative treatment may be possible.