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Pain diary unnecessary for rheumatic patients

Pain diary unnecessary for rheumatic patients
The Federal Association of German Rheumatologists (BDR) points out that the previously often painstakingly led by rheumatism patients pain diaries are usually unnecessary.

Pain diary serves for diagnosis and treatment
The keeping of a pain diary is generally regarded as an important prerequisite for the exact determination of a disease and a correspondingly successful treatment. By consciously observing the pain and possible side effects as well as the written recording, each affected person gets to know his pain well and is able to grasp possible temporal cycles or influencing factors more precisely. The daily lead of such a pain diary is in rheumatism patients, however, usually unnecessary, says the Association of German Rheumatologists. With them, according to the association, it is sufficient if they go to the doctor with the acute pain or directly after a rheumatism episode.

Therapy can be started without a pain diary
Since the diagnosis of rheumatism is far less severe than other painful illnesses and the pain is not the only symptom that can be read from the disease, the doctors do not require appropriate records according to the experts. With a few specific questions about the pain, the doctor can already determine whether rheumatism is present and then initiate appropriate therapy, so the statement of the BDR. With laboratory values and the extent of the swelling at the joints, further statements could be made about the severity of the disease and the possible course of the disease. (fp, 18.10.2010)