Benchmark Client Newsletter October 04 .pub

Vital Resource Vital Resource for Medical-Legal for Medical SOLUTIONS M EDICAL C ONSULTANTS October 2004 Volume 5, Issue 3 AURICULAR CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENTS FOR CHRONIC PAIN By Peter Chase, DDS; Paula Spaight, BS, RDH, L.AC.; K. Megan Scott, Ph. D; and Benedict Messana, MD pathology by detecting low skin resistance in corresponding INTRODUCTION somatotopic points in the ear. (2) The overall purpose of this study is to evaluate Auricu-lotherapy as a tool for clinical diagnosis in the setting of a Within the setting of the Chronic Orofacial Pain Clinic at the chronic orofacial pain referral center. Since auricular diagno- University of the Pacific (UOP) Dental School, we intend to sis and treatment are not yet mainstream clinical tools, we evaluate this methodology in a controlled manner. Our ap-evaluate our initial level of interobserver reliability using this proach to patient care requires that more than one examiner be skin conductivity measuring device (Stimflex 400A). capable of carrying out an auricular diagnostic protocol. There-fore, we intend to perform the study with two examiners carrying STUDY OBJECTIVE out all measurements on each study subject (see Materials & Part I: To determine how consistently two observers using Methods section). Since this adds an additional variable to the written guidelines obtain equivalent measurements from the data collection, we intend to perform the study in two parts. Part same ...