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24
Fuzzy Pain Assessment in Musculoskeletal Disorder
Ernesto Araujo and Leandro Lazzareschi
24.1
Introduction
There are reports all over the world describing the struggle of human beings against
the pain from ancient times [15]. In modern society, the presence of pain can mostly
be explained by new lifestyle, increased longevity, severe medical conditions, trau-
matic surgical interventions, reduced tolerance of suffering by man etc.
According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is
defined as an “unpleasant emotional and sensory experience associated with actual
or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage” [8]. Present in
the majority of the diseases, pain is mostly related to individual experiences, be it
physical or psychological, embracing cultural, sensory, cognitive, behavioral, and
social aspects. Due to that, pain can be defined within a multifactorial event [6].
Further, many people accumulate more than one pain experience and perception
regarding the same or different body regions. The great challenge is to find out a
conclusive pain assessment necessary to prescribe the best treatment to reduce pain
and suffering of patients.
Pain assessment is of special interest when dealing with chronic musculoskele-
tal pain. Skeletal muscles represent 40% of body weight being the most common
functional organs of the human body. It is estimated that 40% of patients mani-
fest chronic musculoskeletal pain at some point in life [6]. The disorders of the
locomotor body system are the most common causes of pain [12]. Since the muscu-
loskeletal system is the element that provides movement to the body as well as are
the source of stability, support, and even form, it is an important source of research
for measurement and treatment. This paper addresses the use of fuzzy set theory and
fuzzy logic for musculoskeletal pain assessment. Such a formal and mathematical
approach is a feasible manner to represent the inherent uncertainty, imprecision, and
vagueness present in emotional, complex perceptual, subjective, and personal pain
experiences as well as the difficulty to communicate it due to linguistic expression,
frames of reference, and so on.
Mechanisms employed to quantify pain have been proposed during the last two
decades.
They enable patients and healthcare professionals to achieve a better