title: An improvement of mechanical pain sensitivity measurement method: the smaller sized probes may detect heterogeneous sensory threshold in healthy male subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  On the basis of our experience in the application of the mechanical algometer and a number of pilot experiments, we speculated that 0.1- and 0.01-cm(2) probes might improve the measurement of mechanical pain sensitivity relative to the conventional 1-cm(2) probe. Here, we examined the accuracy, feasibility, and applicability of these probes in detecting the mechanical pain sensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mechanical pain threshold and tolerance tests were performed on subjects using the three probes of 1, 0.1, and 0.01 cm(2) in random order. We compared the application of these probes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was set at the Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty healthy male Han Chinese subjects were recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the qualities of stimulus-evoked pain, test stability, the measuring time, the subjects' acceptance level of the procedure, the validity of pain measurement, and the arduousness of the task for the investigator among the three different size probes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the conventional 1-cm(2) probe, the 0.01- and 0.1-cm(2) probes resulted in the subjects responding to stimulus-evoked pain more quickly, accurately, and consistently, and also made the measurement more comfortable for investigators. Up to 80% of the subjects reported the pain quality as a pricking sensation when the 0.01-cm(2) probe was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the 0.1-cm(2) probe might be more suitable as an optimized method for the detection of pressure pain sensitivity in clinical studies. In addition, the 0.01-cm(2) probe could potentially serve as an alternative to the weighted needle pinprick, providing continuous quantizing detection for pricking pain sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Guangyou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Guifang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Xianwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yuhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Algometer; Healthy Subjects; Pressure Pain; Pricking Pain; Probe Size