Offers for people with chronic pain disorders
30.08.2021 10:27
A good one in three people in Baden-Württemberg has chronic pain. 11 percent almost always suffer from it, and a quarter complain of frequently recurring chronic pain. This is the result of a Forsa survey commissioned by the AOK Baden-Württemberg among 1,510 people in the southwest between June 28 and July 5, 2021. 45 percent of those who suffer from chronic pain according to the survey feel this way Everyday life is severely or very severely affected.
“The AOK Baden-Württemberg would like to make a contribution with a campaign to positively and sustainably influence how the issue of chronic pain is dealt with. Chronic pain affects everyday life, but we don’t leave people alone with their symptoms,” says Dr. Gudula Kirtschig, doctor at AOK Baden-Württemberg.
“Chronic pain can be very stressful for patients and can lead to the feeling that they can no longer cope with their family or the demands of their job,” explains the AOK doctor. Almost every second respondent who suffers from chronic pain feels that it severely or very severely impairs their everyday life. “Chronic pain often hinders leisure activities such as meeting friends or pursuing hobbies. “People with chronic pain feel overwhelmed by their pain at times and withdraw,” says Dr. Gudula Kirtschig. According to Forsa, 63 percent of those who suffer from chronic pain say that they feel negative effects on their leisure activities. 57 percent perceive negative effects on psychological well-being, 53 percent on sleep and 51 percent on general health.
One way to live with chronic pain is to live a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and enough exercise. Half of the respondents (53 %), who themselves suffer from chronic pain, stated that they exercise a lot or do special exercises as a measure against the pain; 38 percent eat as healthily as possible. Dr. Kirtschig: “If you have chronic pain, it is recommended to stay physically active and exercise regularly. Movement releases the body's own substances that have a pain-relieving effect. Exercise also stimulates blood circulation and metabolism and ensures that bones and cartilage are adequately supplied with nutrients.”
In 2020, 319,395 AOK Baden-Württemberg policyholders (7 %) were treated for chronic pain. The trend is sharply increasing, as shown by the average change of 10 percent between 2016 and 2020. This is also why the AOK Baden-Württemberg wants to run a campaign aok.de/bw/leib-und-seele To sensitize people between the ages of 18 and 45 to deal with the issue of pain. The focus of the campaign is the AOK's new health podcast “Leib & Seele” as well as further information on the topics of preventing pain and dealing with existing pain.