US 7,462,155 B2
	Objective determination of chronic pain in patients
Robert L. England, 1443 Tamara Ct., Benicia, Calif. 94510 (US)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/975,237.
Prior Publication US 2006/0089551 A1, Apr. 27, 2006
Int. Cl. A61B 19/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/05 (2006.01); A61B 5/04 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 600—557  [600/407; 600/410; 600/425; 600/544; 600/552; 600/555]

38 Claims

1. A method for determining the presence of chronic pain in a patient claiming to suffer chronic pain, comprising applying a pain stimulus to a part of the body of the patient claiming to suffer chronic pain, observing neuron activity in the brain caused by the pain stimulus, comparing observed neuron activity to neuron activity caused by the stimulus when applied to a plurality of persons, wherein each control person is free of pain, and deciding that the patient claiming to suffer chronic pain suffers chronic pain if the neuron activity observed in the patient while the stimulus is applied is judged to be statistically significantly increased from the neuron activity in the plurality of patients who are free of pain, wherein the deciding step is performed without the subjective input from the patient.