Title :
A psychological approach in the use of electrical stimulation for the treatment of pain patients
Author :
Braz, G.P. ; Cruz, R.M. ; Borges, N.G., Jr. ; Marques, J.L.B.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Fed. Univ. of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Abstract :
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.
Keywords :
biomedical equipment; diseases; health care; medical computing; medical expert systems; neuromuscular stimulation; orthotics; parameter estimation; psychology; balanced emotional state; chronic illness; computer-based electrical stimulator; expert system design; mental health care professional; pain patients treatment; pain relief; parameter estimation; physical pathology; psychological approach; Control systems; Electrical stimulation; Expert systems; Impedance; Medical services; Medical treatment; Pain; Parameter estimation; Proportional control; Psychology;
Conference_Titel :
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2003. Proceedings of the 25th Annual International Conference of the IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7789-3
DOI :
10.1109/IEMBS.2003.1279502