PAIN MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

Abstract

A pain management system and methodology for preventing or alleviating chronic pain, and/or pain associated with a medical procedure prior to the medical procedure being performed, includes (a) aurally isolating a patient for a chosen period shortly prior to the patient receiving propofol in accordance with step (c), (b) exposing the patient to a repetitive, positive message during the chosen period, and (c) subsequently administering an effective quantity of propofol to the patient. For step (b), the repetitive, positive message may be delivered from a pre-recorded memory card inserted in headphones.

Claims

1. A method for preventing or ameliorating pain in a patient, the method including the steps of: (a) aurally isolating the patient for a chosen period shortly prior to the patient receiving propofol in accordance with step (c); (b) exposing the patient to a repetitive, positive message during the chosen period; and (c) subsequently administering an effective quantity of propofol to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of aurally isolating the patient includes using a set of headphones on the ears of the patient.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message is delivered to the patient through the headphones.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the chosen period is about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is exposed to the message during all or a substantial part of the chosen period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message contains substantially the following words: ‘When I wake up, I will have no pain’; or ‘When I wake up I will be pain free’; the message being repeated during the chosen period.

7. Propofol when used in a method for preventing or ameliorating pain in a patient, the method including the steps of: (a) aurally isolating the patient for a chosen period shortly prior to the patient receiving propofol in accordance with step (c); (b) exposing the patient to a repetitive, positive message during the chosen period; and (c) subsequently administering an effective quantity of propofol to the patient.

8. A set of headphones when used in the method of claim 1, wherein the message is pre-recorded on a suitable medium for playing through the headphones to the patient.

9. The set of headphones of claim 8, having a pair of headphones, each being circumaural.

10. The set of headphones of claim 8, wherein the medium is a memory card adapted for insertion in a slot in one of the headphones.

11. The set of headphones of claim 9, wherein in use a disposable interface is disposed between each headphone and the patient.

12. The set of headphones of claim 11, wherein the interface includes a soft non-woven material.

13. The set of headphones of claim 12, wherein the soft non-woven material is made of a bonded polyolefin material having spunbond and/or meltblown layers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

[0059] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a set of headphones suitable for use in connection with the invention;

[0060] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the headphones of FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the headphones of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, with a detailed view of the location of a memory card slot taken from within the dashed circle of FIG. 3;

[0062] FIG. 4 is a top plan views of an embodiment of a pair of black disposable interfaces for mounting on a headphone, one of the pair being shown from the inside and the other of the pair being shown from the outside; and

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a front perspective view of white disposable interfaces the same as those in FIG. 4 except for colour, mounted on a headphone similar to that in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0064] It will be appreciated that the drawings are not all on the same scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0065] The headphones shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3 are commercially available under the name ‘Bluedio-T7+’ from Cellway, Floor 2, Building A, No. 46 Pupai Road, Ailian Town, Longgang District, Shenzhen China. These headphones also have noise-cancelling functionality, which can be desirable in relation to the invention.

[0066] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, headphones 10 are circumaural in that they are designed to fit over and around the ears of a patient. Headphones 10 have first headphone 12 and second headphone 14, linked by headband 16. Headphone 12 includes controls including for volume and activating noise cancelling function.

[0067] Memory card slot 18 is also located on the outside of headphone 12 (refer FIG. 3, as enlarged in circled portion). Memory card slot 18 is adapted to receive an SD 32 G memory card. In this embodiment, the repetitive, positive message is pre-recorded on the memory card in the desired language and inserted in slot 18 prior to use in the method of the invention.

[0068] Headphones 10 have a 600 MAH polymer battery which is rechargeable via a USB type charging cable plugged into a charging port (not shown) located on the outside of headphone 12.

[0069] Disposable interface 20 in FIG. 4 is made of a nonwoven sanitary material such a SMS and is stretchable so as to fit over the inside surface of each of headphone 12A and headphone 14A of headphones 10A having band 16A, as shown in FIG. 5. Elastic 22 is arranged around the circumference of opening 24, to assist in retaining interface 20 on headphone 12A or 14A. Opening 24 is about 5 cm in diameter. A new interface 20 is mounted on headphone 12A and headphone 14A for each new patient and discarded after use.

[0070] The embodiments described above relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are given by way of illustration. Changes, modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0072] Now that preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to a skilled person in the art that the method of the present invention may offer at least the following advantages: [0073] 1. Relief or elimination of post-operative pain, allowing accelerated recovery and healing as well as early discharge from hospital; [0074] 2. Avoiding post-operative pain becoming chronic pain; [0075] 3. Reduction or elimination of the need for pharmaceutical treatment of pain, reducing cost to the patient and removing danger of addiction; and [0076] 4. Enhancement of the patient's quality of life even if the patent has a terminal prognosis.