80 percent of students suffer from headaches

80 percent of students suffer from headaches. Another 50 percent complain of back pain or neck problems. The students have less and less unplanned time, the addiction to painkillers increases.

Above all, our society is demanding more and more services from young people and this is clearly noticeable in the health of the children. In a survey among high school students, a gloomy picture is emerging. Of the approximately 1,200 students in Munich, 80 percent report that they regularly suffer from headaches. Another 50 percent report that they have back pain or neck tension, for example. In this context, these numbers are important: About 50 percent of Munich's high school students said they feel overwhelmed in their everyday lives.

These frightening numbers were presented by Prof. Andreas Straube at a press conference on Wednesday at the German Pain Congress in Mannheim. In this context, Prof. Christoph Maier warned that young patients with chronic pain might become dependent on medication because they are given the wrong painkillers.

About a quarter of the surveyed students said they were suffering from social stress. Stress can also cause pain, as stressed Straube. Another ten percent of respondents complained that they had less than one hour of unscheduled time per day. In about 50 percent of the students there were two hours each without any upcoming appointments or tasks. This shows that the compression of time and tasks is not only noticeable in adults. In view of these figures, Professor Straube criticized „Compression and acceleration of life“. One has to ask oneself whether this will benefit us all in the long term and will not lead to increasing problems“, so the expert for pain.

As an effective balance, the physician recommends sufficient physical exercise. Because who moves more actively, also have less pain. As an example, Straube mentioned the possibility to offer active running in all-day schools for 20 to 30 minutes. Also relaxation techniques and exercises could be taught by the schools. Children and adolescents also need enough time for themselves „just relax“ to be able to. „I think it's just a big change in thinking“, so Straube.

The diploma social pedagogue and trauma expert Gritli Bertram pointed out in this context to Heilpraxisnet.de that a free division of time is indispensable for a healthy development of the child. „When the time of the young people is planned, there is also no time for relaxation and creativity“. This not only has serious consequences for health, but also for social integrity. „There is often only time left for social networks on the Internet, personal meetings and the maintenance of social contacts due to lack of time more and more in the background“, said the teacher. "This will have fatal consequences for our society because people are unlearning how to get in touch with each other on a personal level, and social phobias may increase."

In the same breath, the number of patients who depend on painkillers also increases. It also shows that people are confronted with a serious misuse, said Straube at the Pain Congress. It turns out that more and more doctors willingly or unwittingly prescribe strong analgesics, even though there is a psychosomatic illness. So increase the risk of drug dependence and addiction. In the US, this trend can be observed very well: there are, according to extensive study results, about 40 percent of addicted people over one „legal“ Drug addiction get into addiction.

At the Pain Congress 2010, new study results will also be presented. A study conducted by the Vestish Child and Adolescent Clinic in Datteln found that about half of all children who have been suffering from type I diabetes for more than two years have hidden nerve damage. The nerve damage could be made recognizable by means of a new measurement method. Markus Blankenburg from the Children's Hospital. Pain in patients who have spasticity due to early childhood brain damage is not caused by muscle tension, but by the nerve damage itself. According to the experts, these new findings could lead to advances in the treatment of pain patients. (sb, 07.10.2010)

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Picture credits: Dieter Schütz