[Differentiating between intensity and frame of mind in patients with chronic pain.].

Chronic pain is a complex experience that may change the life of the patient totally. Being influenced by numerous factors, communication between the physician and the patient on such a complex experience is not always easy. The question of how patients differentiate between the intensity of their pain and their mood state was investigated in our study with the use of a new method-the dolorimeter- in 200 patients. Our results showed that the new method is appropriate to evaluate the intensity of pain in patients with chronic pain, but no to explore the patient's psychological state. The patients' assessment showed clearly that they preferred the dolorimeter to evaluate their pain intensity while they preferred a verbal scale (Profile of Mood States) to describe their mood state.