Medical expert clarifies

“Constant pain changes the structure of our nerve cells”

In an interview with "Krone", doctor Andreas Schlager gave an insight into the broad field of pain medicine. He and his colleagues will be providing information at the health talks.

(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

Doctor Andreas Schlager from the Innsbruck Clinic talks to the "Krone" newspaper about pain memory, therapies, addictions and whether cannabis is suitable for pain therapy. According to the expert, one thing is particularly important in therapy: "Don't just take medication, go to physiotherapy and psychotherapy."

"Krone": Constant pain can make life a misery. The Austrian Pain Society speaks of 1.8 million sufferers in Austria. When is pain chronic?
Dr. Schlager: We speak of chronic pain when it is constantly present for at least three months. This is the most important characteristic defined by the International Pain Society.