Austria's ailments

These pains torment us most often

Headaches and back pain are the most common symptoms.

(Bild: Erwin Wodicka/stock.adobe.com)

Around one in five Austrians is affected by chronic pain, with back pain being the most common ailment. An estimated two million people in this country suffer from it, with women being affected more often than men. The risk increases significantly with age.

For example, 20 percent of people under the age of 60 are affected by back pain, while this figure rises to one in three for those over 60. The most common causes of back pain are poor posture or overloading in combination with weak muscles. Asymmetries of the spine (e.g. scoliosis) or the pelvis (pelvic obliquity) can also frequently be observed, which promote the development of back pain. Intervertebral disc problems or herniations are also often causes.

Tension headache in second place
The sufferer experiences dull, pressing pain on both sides. The cause is usually muscular tension. Many patients describe the symptoms as "a vice" or "a band around the head that is too tight". Sometimes there is also talk of a feeling of light-headedness. The duration of the symptoms can last from half an hour to several days or even a week.

We speak of chronic pain if you suffer from headaches for half of each month for three consecutive months.

Poor posture often to blame for discomfort
Tension headaches are caused by tension in the neck and shoulder area, which can be caused by poor posture or emotional stress. Changes in female hormone levels or blood pressure, which drops in warmer weather, are also known triggers.

Relaxation exercises help
In order to achieve relief, a regular daily routine with breaks and sufficient sleep should be aimed for. Stress can be prevented with endurance sports (such as cycling, swimming, jogging, Nordic walking, etc.) and relaxation exercises such as Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation or yoga.

The agony of migraines
In Germany, 11% of the population are affected by episodic migraines (up to 14 days a month), almost three quarters of whom are women, with the highest incidence between the ages of 20 and 50. Migraines are a special form of headache. It occurs repeatedly and preferably on one side. In addition, there is sensitivity to light and noise and nausea.

Treatment should always be supervised by a specialist. Highly effective medicines are now also available for migraines.

Joints ache in old age
Joint pain is one of the most common reasons for a visit to the doctor. The causes include inflammation, overloading (also due to obesity, heavy physical work), misalignment or signs of wear and tear (osteoarthritis). Inflammatory rheumatic diseases require quick action. Otherwise irreparable damage can occur.

Incidentally, not only older people, but also children and adolescents can be plagued by pain in the musculoskeletal system. In addition to poor posture and lack of movement, juvenile idiopathic arthritis can also be the cause. This cannot be cured, but can be easily managed with modern medication.