[Psychogenically-induced lumbar pain]

Diseases of the column and some psychic disturbances (e.g. neuroses) form the causes of transitory or chronic invalidity. From a psychological point of view, the lumbar region plays an important role in the polarisation of certain psychological conflicts: sexuality, aggressiveness, depression, frustration, exaggerated submission, etc. In consideration of this sensitivity of the lumbar region to certain psychic disturbances we have subjected a great number of women and men to a special neurological and clinical examination. Only in one per cent of the patients operated on no organic change was found, which underlines the importance and necessity of an appraisal of the personality of the patients with chronic, psychically caused pain. When this appraisal of the personality is omitted, diagnostic errors may occur that cannot be made good again.