A psychological approach in the use of electrical stimulation for the treatment of pain patients

Despite health care professional's efforts to work with pain patients using electrical stimulation, the limited duration of analgesia induced by this technique may provoke alterations in patient's emotional state, because after a determined period from the treatment session, pain relief ends. Having psychological problems as variables able to impede patient's progress through the physical treatment program, the present article describes the development of an expert system designed to identify patients who may benefit from treatment by a mental health care professional. This system is integrated to a computer-based electrical stimulator projected for pain relief that proportionate a controlled utilization of stimulatory parameters. The system has a tutorial menu directed to support the estimation of parameters that could best fit the physical pathology. If patient demonstrate a balanced emotional state, physical treatment can be intensified and vice-versa. These measures are important, specially to avoid the establishment of a long duration, or chronic illness. This system is currently being developed, and it is expected to work as an equipment for the treatment of pain in a global approach.