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.