internet chat

Sustainable behavior change in patients with chronic pain is the focus of modern pain therapy. What you have learned should be implemented in everyday life and constantly practiced.

Multimodal inpatient treatment programs have been shown to be very effective in inducing pain-relieving behavioral changes. The online aftercare chat moderated by therapists from the Kiel Pain Clinic serves to improve the sustainability of these behavioral changes. University of Heidelberg and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, our patients are offered an internet-supported aftercare program following inpatient treatment. Regular contact with a pain therapist after inpatient treatment as well as exchanges with other sufferers who have similar complaints have a positive effect on the development of pain.

The therapy results are scientifically evaluated. Participation is voluntary. The chat is not open to the public. Only former patients have access after registration. We compare the effectiveness of three different aftercare programs:

  • a therapist-led chat group with the participation of a therapist
  • a chat group, without therapeutic leadership (online self-help group)
  • a standard treatment group (no aftercare offer)

In the therapist-led chat group, up to 10 patients meet weekly in an internet chat room for a period of 12-15 weeks after the end of inpatient treatment with a pain therapist from the Kiel Pain Clinic, whom they met during their inpatient stay. Before each chat session, an individually tailored questionnaire is given to promote self-management. This questionnaire is intended to help you not forget and implement the behaviors learned during inpatient treatment in everyday life. After each session, questions about the chat session are also asked. Answering the questionnaires takes approximately 2-3 minutes each.

The first experiences show that the patients are very committed and share many important individual experiences. The chat program helps to optimize the treatment results and promote their sustainability. It also contributes to the development of new therapy techniques for the future.