Apparatus and method for providing a multidimensional indication of pain
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing a multidimensional indication of the pain being experienced by a person, comprising,an elongated base having a plurality of sensory pain descriptors displayed thereon and a plurality of emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon,a selection indicator operatively associated with each descriptor, each selection indicator being on said base and selectively adjustable by a person between a first state indicating that the associated descriptor describes the person'"'"'s pain and a second state indicating that the associated descriptor does not describe the person'"'"'s pain.
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Abstract
An instrument for providing a multidimensional indication of pain includes an elongated base having a series of sensory pain descriptors and emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon. A selection indicator next to each descriptor is adjustable by a person to indicate whether that descriptor accurately describes the pain the person is feeling. The descriptors may be assigned a numerical rank so that the total of the ranks of the selected descriptors affords a quantitative measurement of the sensory and emotional dimensions of a person'"'"'s pain. A further cognitive dimension of the person'"'"'s pain can be measured with an elongated pain scale on the instrument. This scale provides a visible indicia symbolizing the range of pain one can experience and a scale indicator slidable on the instrument to a selected position along the scale to indicate the intensity of pain being experienced by the person. A second quantitative scale cooperates with the same scale indicator to afford a ready quantitative reading corresponding to the selected position on the elongated pain scale.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing a multidimensional indication of the pain being experienced by a person, comprising,
an elongated base having a plurality of sensory pain descriptors displayed thereon and a plurality of emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon, a selection indicator operatively associated with each descriptor, each selection indicator being on said base and selectively adjustable by a person between a first state indicating that the associated descriptor describes the person'"'"'s pain and a second state indicating that the associated descriptor does not describe the person'"'"'s pain.
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13. An apparatus for providing a multidimensional indication of the pain being experienced by a person, comprising,
an elongated base having a plurality of sensory pain descriptors displayed thereon and a plurality of emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon, a selection indicator operatively associated with each descriptor, each selection indicator being on said base and selectively adjustable by a person between a first state indicating that the associated descriptor describes the person'"'"'s pain and a second state indicating that the associated descriptor does not describe the person'"'"'s pain. said base further displaying an elongated pain scale having opposite ends indicative of worst possible pain at one end and no pain at the other end, and a scale indicator slidably supported on said base in association with said scale, said scale indicator being slidably adjustable on said base between positions indicative of worst possible pain at one end of said scale and no pain at said other end of said scale and the proportional extent of pain corresponding to any position therebetween thereby to provide a cognitive dimension to the pain measured by said apparatus, a second scale on said base and having opposite ends and quantitative indicia arranged on said second scale and extending between said opposite ends, said scale indicator being operative to indicate a quantitative reading on said second scale which is indicative of the adjusted position of said scale indicator on said elongated pain scale.
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16. A method for providing a multidimensional indication of pain being experienced by a person, comprising
providing a tool having a plurality of sensory pain descriptors and a plurality of emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon, a selection indicator operatively associated with each descriptor and adjustable to first and second states indicating that the associated descriptor is descriptive and nondescriptive respectively, and causing a person to adjust said selection indicators to said first and second states as indications of whether the associated descriptors are descriptive of the pain being experienced by the person.
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18. A method for providing a multidimensional indication of pain being experienced by a person, comprising
providing a tool having a plurality of sensory pain descriptors and a plurality of emotional pain descriptors displayed thereon, a selection indicator operatively associated with each descriptor and adjustable to first and second states indicating that the associated descriptor is descriptive and nondescriptive respectively, an elongated pain scale and a scale indicator slidably adjustable on said tool and operative in association with said scale to provide a cognitive measurement of pain, and a second quantitative scale associated with said scale indicator to provide a quantitative measurement of the extent of pain indicated by said scale indicator, causing a person to adjust said selection indicators to said first and second states as indications of whether the associated descriptors are descriptive of the pain being experienced by the person, causing a person to slidably adjust the scale indicator to a position on said pain scale indicative of the extent of pain being experienced by the person, and observing the quantitative measurement of pain indicated by the adjusted scale indicator on said second quantitative scale.
Specification