Sodium amytal in the diagnosis of chronic pain

The diagnosis of chronic pain cases is now an important problem for psychiatrists and many authors have presented strong evidence for the influence of psychological factors in chronic pain conditions. The author is reporting his experience with 75 consecutive out-patient consultations. Many of the patients were foreign-born and had significant language difficulties. The main diagnostic technique described is the use of sodium amytal given intravenously over a 45 minute-period while the patient is examined physically and psychologically; his responses noted during light, midrange and deeper levels of sodium amytal sedation. Most patients fell comfortably into one of the following diagnostic groups: psychogenic regional pain, organic pain, mixed group (organic plus psychogenic regional pain), and malingering. The author suggests that sodium amytal helps to overcome language barriers, reduces the time required for proper assessment and allows the patient and the examiner to appreciate more precisely, the level of pain and the limits of physical performance as well as permitting an effective exploration of important psychodynamic issues.