Abstract: Introduction: In back pain, often no correlation between subjective
complaints and objective diagnoses can be found. This paper examines both the
amount and type of bodily complaints in back pain patients compared with
samples of both the general population and psychosomatic patients. Furthermore
the relationship between bodily complaints and different facets of chronic pain
are investigated. Methods: Bodily complaints were ascertained using the Giessen
Complaints Check List (Giessener Beschwerdebogen, GBB-24) in three samples:
patients with chronic back pain (n=691), persons from the general population
(n=1979) and psychosomatic-psychothera-peutic patients (n=1642).
Additionally, we investigated the relationship between the GBB-24 scales and
the severity of chronification (Mainz Pain Staging System MPSS), pain related
parameters (pain intensity, pain assessment scale SES), emotional distress
(Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS-D), parameters of the medical
history and muscle strength. Results: Compared with the general population, patients with back
pain reported higher degrees of limb pains (including back pain), and
exhaustion. In contrast to the psychosomatic sample, they did not report
increased rates of heart and stomach complaints. All complaints were related to
severity of chronification, emotional distress and pain-related parameters.
Conclusions: Chronic back pain patients report higher degrees of
limb (back) pain and ex-haustion as compared to the general population.
Although, in contrast to psychosomatic pa-tients, heart and stomach complaints
are not increased in back pain patients, these com-plaints are correlated with
parameters of chronicity. Further research should clarify the role of these
complaints during the process of chronification.
