Objective determination of chronic pain in patients

Abstract

A method for objectively determining if a patient suffers chronic pain by initially observing a multiplicity of persons who are free of chronic pain and subjecting them to a given pain stimulus. Radiofrequency (RF) emissions generated by the brains of the persons who are free of chronic pain while they are subjected to the pain stimulus are measured and a chart in the form of an average f-MRI image for all such persons is prepared which statistically reflects an average of RF emissions generated by the brains of the persons who are free of chronic pain while subjected to the pain stimulus. The same pain stimulus is then applied to the patient, RF emissions generated by a brain of the patient while the pain stimulus is applied are sensed, and the RF emissions from the patient's brain are compared to the chart to determine if the RF emissions from the patient's brain are statistically different from the approximately average RF emissions from the persons who are free of chronic pain on the chart. If so, it can be concluded without any conscious input from the patient that the patient suffers chronic pain. The method can be used to verify insurance or other compensation claims by persons who assert that they suffer chronic pain that might prevent them from performing certain functions such as work.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for verifying a claim for compensation made to a receiver of the claim resulting from an assertion of chronic pain by a patient claiming to suffer chronic pain comprising subjecting the patient claiming to suffer chronic pain to a pain stimulus, observing neuron activity in a brain of the patient in response to the pain stimulus, comparing the observed neuron activity in the patient's brain to neuron activity in the brains of a multiplicity of control persons who are free of pain and who have been subjected to the same pain stimulus, determining if a difference between the neuron activity occurring in the patient's brain and the changes observed in the brains of the control persons without pain is statistically significant, and if the difference is statistically significant informing the receiver that the patient is judged to likely suffer chronic pain, wherein the determining step is performed without the subjective input from the patient. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27  including preparing f-MRIs reflective of neuron activity occurring in the patient's brain and of neuron activity occurring in the brains of control persons who are free of pain, and wherein determining if the difference is statistically significant comprises comparing the f-MRIs. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein comparing f-MRIs comprises feeding the f-MRIs into a computer, and analyzing the difference between the patient's f-MRI and the f-MRIs of the control persons without pain. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 28  including informing the receiver that the patient is likely to suffer chronic pain when the difference between the respective f-MRIs is statistically significant. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 27  including judging that the patient is likely to suffer chronic pain if the difference between the neuron activity observed in the patient's brain and the neuron activity observed in the brains of the control persons who are free of pain shows that the neuron activity observed in the patient's brain are statistically significantly higher than the neuron activity observed in the brains of the control persons without pain. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the receiver is an entity requested to compensate the patient. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the entity is an insurance company. 
     
     
         34 . A method for processing an insurance claim submitted by a patient asserting to suffer chronic pain comprising observing a multiplicity of control persons who are free of pain while subjecting the persons to a given pain stimulus, measuring radiofrequency (RF) emissions generated by the brains of the control persons who are free of pain while the persons are subjected to the pain stimulus, preparing a chart which statistically reflects an average of RF emissions generated by the brains of the control persons who are free of pain while subjected to the pain stimulus, applying the given pain stimulus to the patient, sensing RF emissions generated by a brain of the patient while the given pain stimulus is applied, comparing the RF emissions from the patient's brain with the chart and determining if the RF emissions from the patient's brain are statistically different from the approximately average RF emissions from the control persons who are free of pain, and advising the insurer that the patient is likely to suffer chronic pain if the difference between the RF emissions from the patient's brain and from the brains of control persons who are free of pain is statistically significant, wherein the determining step is performed without the subjective input from the patient. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34  wherein measuring RF emissions includes measuring RF emissions in the patient and in the multiplicity of control persons who are free of pain in prefrontal areas of the brains. 
     
     
         36 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the neuron activity caused by the pain stimulus is observed in a cortical area of the patient's brain. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the cortical area is selected from the group consisting of prefrontal cortex, somatosensory cortex, and motor cortex. 
     
     
         38 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the neuron activity caused by the pain stimulus is observed in a somatosensory portion of the patient's brain. 
     
     
         39 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the neuron activity caused by the pain stimulus is observed in a prefrontal subcortical region of the patient's brain. 
     
     
         40 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the time required for the patient's brain to process the neuron activity caused by the pain is increased in persons having chronic pain. 
     
     
         41 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the intensity of the pain stimulus needed to observe a common pain level on an f-MRI is less for a chronic pain patient as compared to the plurality of control persons. 
     
     
         42 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the pain stimulus is applied to parts of the body not affected with pain. 
     
     
         43 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the pain stimulus is selected from the group consisting of vibration, pressure, heat, lasers, light touch, and cold. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pain stimulus is applied using a vibratory device. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the pain stimulus is pressure.