OT:NIH grant funds study on language of pain

[Guest guest]

Even though they are looking at the psychological aspects of pain

there are a " few " choice words that I know almost everyone here has

been asked. This tells you how they are interpeted.IE:Miserable -

suggests depression.

NIH grant funds study on language of pain

UTSA Today - San ,TX

By Lesli Hicks

Special Projects Writer, UTSA '07

http://www.utsa.edu/today/2007/09/pain.cfm

(Sept. 7, 2007)--UTSA Professor Ephrem Fernandez will lead a

research team from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, the UT

Health Science Center at San with physicians from various

pain clinics and UTSA researchers and students to learn more about

pain, a powerful symptom found in many medical conditions.

" It is the second most common reason why people seek medical

attention, " said Fernandez, professor of psychology in the College

of Liberal and Fine Arts and the recent recipient of a $368,711 two-

year grant from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH grant for

the project, " Psychometric Properties and Diagnostic Utility of the

Pain Descriptor System, " will research the language of pain, which

could help guide caregivers to better diagnoses and treatment.

" Typically, the two questions that the physician or nurse asks of a

person in pain are 'Where is the pain?' and 'What does the pain feel

like?' " Fernandez said. Their replies go beyond immediate patient

complaints and actually are long-term clues to helping clinicians

heal them.

For example, complaints of " throbbing " or " pulsing sensation " are

more consistent with vascular properties of migraine, while a " dull

ache " is in keeping with a tension headache.

" There are also words to convey a diversity of emotional qualities

associated with pain, " Fernandez said. The adjective " terrifying "

suggests a high level of anxiety, " miserable " suggests depression

and " annoying " conveys a low level of anger, he said.

Drawing largely from patient interviews, the Fernandez group will

identify, classify and calibrate pain descriptors to help

differentiate pain in areas such as the back, head, joints and

nerves, also relating it to disability levels and to demographic

variables such as gender. The anticipated result will be a

new " psychometrically valid and reliable " diagnostic test that can

be used in conjunction with other instruments for assessing pain.

The significance of the team's work is raised by the recognition

that, nationwide, approximately 25 million people suffer acute pain

from surgery or accidents, and some 50 million live with chronic

pain from disease, disorder or accident. Worldwide, such pain

affects one in five people -- sadly, mostly those living in low- and

middle-income countries.

Concern for community health and rising medical and insurance costs

are why the American Pain Society and its peers have declared pain

as a fifth " vital sign " requiring routine assessment along with

pulse, blood pressure, respiration and body temperature.