Developments in pain therapy in Germany: from neglected symptom to major health issue

Modern pain therapy began with the discovery of morphine by Serturner in 18 03. The following continuous introduction of new analgesics promised an end of pain as a bane of mankind. Reality, however, soon proved different. Tod ay patients with chronic pain rather than those with acute pain are in the focus of pain therapy. Only since the beginning of indisciplinary treatment including psychological and psychsomatic approaches progress has been achi eved in chronic pain. The first specialised pain clinic opened by Bonica in the USA and the founding of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) have been milestones in the treatment of chronic pain. Today s everal associations and societies are active promoting both the needs of pa tients suffering from chronic pain and the needs of the professionals treat ing pain patients. Although recently physicians can qualify in specialised pain therapy there are still by far too few specialists to provide sufficie nt care for all chronic pain patients in Germany.