Integration of Complementary Medicine for Multilocal Chronic Pain: Treatment Results From the Patient Perspective

Chronic pain affects individuals' quality of life, physical functionality, and psychological well-being. In the case of multifactorial diseases with an increasing tendency to become chronic, individual therapies often can't alleviate symptoms. The integration of recognized naturopathic methods into a variety of therapies could increase their success.

The study intended to assess the benefits of integration of recognized naturopathic therapy methods into acute care as an option that provides holistic, patient-centered treatment.

The author performed a case study.

The study took place at Waldhausklinik-Acute Hospital for Internal Medicine, Pain Therapy, Complementary and Individualized Patient-centered Medicine in Deuringen, Germany.

The participant was a 40-year-old female patient who had been admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment, with acutely exacerbated, multilocular pain with advanced chronification in combination with concomitant pain-creating, sustained psychological illness.

In addition to conventional medical therapy, the participant received a complex, naturopathic treatment under operation and procedure key 8-975 (The German procedure classification (Operationen- und Prozedurenschlüssel - OPS) is the official classification for the encoding of operations, procedures and general medical measures) with high density. The medical team used physical and physiotherapeutic units, drainage therapies, relaxation methods, behavior therapy, mind-body therapy, exercise therapy, hydro- and thermotherapy, and acupuncture.

The study used the following outcome measures: (1) a VAS for pain, (2) an assessment of physical symptoms according to Zerssen, (3) the Pain Disability Index (PDI), (4) the Hannover Functional Ability Questionnaire (FFbH), (5) the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D), and (6) adverse effects.

The participant's pain significantly decreased, and she slowly achieved mobility: (1) her pain score on the VAS decreased from 9.3/10 to 4/10; (2) her complaints list decreased from 28 points to 8 points; (3) her score on the PDI decreased from 59.8 points to 15.2 points; (4) her score on the FFbH increased from 55% to 66%; (5) her score on the PHQ-D decreased from 25 points to 2 points; (6) she experienced no adverse effects.

The complex naturopathic treatment is a procedure that can lead to positive therapy results, especially in the case of serious chronic illnesses that are accompanied by acute flare-ups. In the case of progression of severe chronic pain, medical practitioners should consider a multimodal therapy with the integration of naturopathic methods. In the past, the assessment of individual complementary techniques for individual clinical pictures has predominated. The aim of further research should be the use of several methods as multimodal therapies to meet the needs of patients with complex clinical pictures.