Measurement of pain
First Claim
1. An apparatus for assessing a level of an arbitrary first sensation, experienced by a person, the first sensation being compared to an induced physical sensation, the apparatus comprising:
- a stimulator configured to supply a physical stimulus of an electrical current to said person and to thereby induce a physical sensation in said person;
an activator mechanism configured to activate an increasing supply of said physical stimulus;
a deactivator mechanism actuateable by said person and configured to deactivate the supply of said physical stimulus;
an increase stop switch configured to halt the automatic stimulus increase;
a stimulation level control device configured to provide an automatic increase in said physical stimulus dependent on said activator mechanism, to maintain the physical stimulus at a constant level dependent on a first actuation of the increase stop switch, and to resume said automatic physical stimulus increase dependent on a second actuation of said increase stop switch; and
a registration device configured to register a sensation level value dependent on the supplied physical stimulus and corresponding to said first experienced sensation in response to a deactivation by said person of said supply of the physical stimulus when the induced physical sensation is perceived to be comparable to the first experienced sensation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A measuring instrument for the measurement of an existing pain or a feeling of nausea of a patient. The measuring instrument induces pain in an arbitrary body part of said patient, by supplying an electrical current. The measuring instrument provides a current increase into said body part, until said induced pain is experienced by the patient as being as great as the existing pain/nausea. The current is supplied from a current source arranged in the measuring instrument via wires and electrodes, said electrodes being applied onto that part of the body in which pain is to be induced. When the pain induced is experienced to be as great as the existing pain/nausea, the body part is removed from the electrodes, whereupon a pain value is registered and shown on a display.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for assessing a level of an arbitrary first sensation, experienced by a person, the first sensation being compared to an induced physical sensation, the apparatus comprising:
-
a stimulator configured to supply a physical stimulus of an electrical current to said person and to thereby induce a physical sensation in said person; an activator mechanism configured to activate an increasing supply of said physical stimulus; a deactivator mechanism actuateable by said person and configured to deactivate the supply of said physical stimulus; an increase stop switch configured to halt the automatic stimulus increase; a stimulation level control device configured to provide an automatic increase in said physical stimulus dependent on said activator mechanism, to maintain the physical stimulus at a constant level dependent on a first actuation of the increase stop switch, and to resume said automatic physical stimulus increase dependent on a second actuation of said increase stop switch; and a registration device configured to register a sensation level value dependent on the supplied physical stimulus and corresponding to said first experienced sensation in response to a deactivation by said person of said supply of the physical stimulus when the induced physical sensation is perceived to be comparable to the first experienced sensation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for assessing a level of an arbitrary first sensation experienced by a person, the first sensation being compared to an induced physical sensation, comprising the steps of:
-
supplying a physical stimulus to said person to thereby induce a physical sensation in said person; increasing said physical stimulus; comparing, by said person, the induced physical sensation to a first experienced sensation; halting, by said person, the increase of said physical stimulus and maintaining the physical stimulus at a constant level; resuming the increase of said physical stimulation if the induced physical sensation is not perceived to be comparable to the first sensation; deactivating, by said person, said supply of said physical stimulus if the induced physical sensation is perceived to be comparable to the first experienced sensation; and registering a sensation level value dependent on the supplied physical stimulus and corresponding to said first experienced sensation in response to the deactivation by said person of said supply of the physical stimulus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A method for assessing a level of an arbitrary first sensation experienced by a person, comprising the steps of:
-
using a stimulator for supplying a physical stimulation of an electrical current, said stimulator having an electrical current source, electrodes connected to the electrical current source positioned on opposite sides of a support structure, an actuating mechanism for activating or deactivating the supply of said electrical current dependent on a current flowing through said electrodes, an electrical level control device adapted to provide an increase in said electrical current, to maintain the electrical current at a constant level in response to a first actuation of an increase stop switch and to resume the increase in response to a second actuation of said increase stop switch, a registration device for registering a sensation level value dependent on the supplied electrical current when deactivated, and a display configured to display a registered sensation level value; activating, by said person, the supply of said electrical current by grasping the electrodes and thereby closing an electrical circuit between the electrodes; supplying the electrical current to said person and thereby inducing a physical sensation in said person; increasing said electrical current thereby increasing the induced physical sensation; comparing, by said person, the induced physical sensation to said first experienced sensation; halting, by said person, the increase of said electrical current and maintaining said electrical current at a constant level; resuming the increase of said physical stimulus, if the induced physical sensation is not perceived to be comparable to the first experienced sensation; deactivating, by said person, the supply of said electrical current by releasing the electrodes and thereby interrupting said electrical circuit, if the induced physical sensation is perceived by said person to be comparable to the first experienced sensation; and registering a sensation level value dependent on the supplied electrical current and corresponding to said first experienced sensation in response to the deactivation of the supply of said electrical current, the registered sensation level value thereby also being dependent on the first experienced sensation. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
-
Specification