Connect
Nearly every medical appointment you go to these days will ask if you are experience pain. If you say "yes" the next question is likely "please rate your pain on a 0 to 10 scale." This can be confusing to you as a patient and you might be wondering, "how do I put a number on my pain?" "What is my provider really asking?"
There are several types of pain questionnaires that clinics use which are slightly different in content, the number of questions and the actual scale used. We have developed some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help makes this a meaningful part of your next visit.
Why is rating your pain so important?
The purpose of the pain scale is to provide a standardized means of measuring pain intensity and severity. Everyone experiences pain differently and each of us has a difference tolerance for pain. Therefore, your pain score is unique to you. You might provide an explanation for your pain score. For example, "on my best day my pain is a 0, but at its worst it is a 6."The goal of asking a number is to identify how pain is affecting your routine daily activities. By giving the numbers some definition, we hope to help you assign a number.
- Pain Free = 0
- Mild Pain = 1-3 (nagging or annoying but doesn't interfere with daily activities)
- Ranges from "barely noticeable" to "distracting" because you are somewhat used to it and have learned to live with it
- Moderate Pain = 4-6 (interferes with daily activities)
- Ranges from "distracting pain that can only be ignored for periods of time" to "difficulty concentrating"
- Sever Pain = 7-10 (disabling or unable to carry out normal daily activities)
- Ranges from "impacts your social relationships, or sleep" to "being bedridden or even delirious."
What shouldn't I do when talking about my pain?
Do not overstate your pain. While you want to convey that your pain is severe, saying your pain is a 12 out of 10 while sitting upright in the doctor's office may not be to your benefit. Consider that natural childbirth (no epidural or medication) is generally thought to be an 8 which means that your physical activity is severely limited and talking requires effort.
How can I make the score mean more?
Give your pain more than just a number. Being able to describe your pain will help your care team better understand how it may be impacting your daily activities. Consider the following:
- Does the pain come and go or is it always present?
- What makes it better?
- What makes it worse?
- What word best matches how it feels? Stinging, penetrating, dull, throbbing, achy, nagging, gnawing...
- Does the pain stay in one spot or does it travel to different parts of your body?
Just as important as pain scores is your functional status in response to the treatments or interventions you have already tried.
- Have you been able to walk farther?
- Is the pain less which allows you to do more for yourself (i.e. get dressed, go to the bathroom independently, brush your hair)
- Can you sit upright and working on your knitting (or other meaningful hobby)?
- Are you able to go to your local worship service (or other meaningful activity)?
What is the difference between acute vs chronic pain?
In general, healthcare providers divide pain into two categories - acute and chronic
Acute Pain: acute pain is temporary, related to the physical sensation of tissue damage. It can last a few seconds to a couple months, but generally subsides after normal healing occurs
Chronic Pain: Chronic pain lingers long beyond the time of normal healing, lasting from a few months to many years. It may range from mild to disabling and change frequently.
You may already have chronic pain and are now experiencing, acute pain. Your care team will ask you specific questions to help determine whether this pain is new (acute) or whether it is related to your chronic pain. Understanding how to use the pain scale and communicate your pain to your care team will help determine the best treatment options for you.
Helpful Links
- Request an appointment
- Connect with others via the Chronic Pain group
Like
Helpful
Hug
Connect
7 through10. But, I have a high tolerance for pain.
Hopes this helps. Problem with pain is that it is subjective..something that really can't be measured like a blood sugar level.
Pat
Thanks I've always had a problem with doctors thinking I wasn't in pain. I was in a motorcycle accident and told them I heard my bone break and felt it snap. I was sent home with a pulled muscle.
I grew up hiding [pain, besides my dad beating the shit out of me I had a severe problem with my back. When complaining of a back ache my parents ignored it and thought I was trying to skip school. One day I couldn't straighten u[ when I bent to pick something up, my muscle wouldn't respond to anything. Now the believed me and I had extensive surgery on my back, surgery that by todays standard is considered barbaric. Bone graphing all my lumbar together. I've had pain my entire life and I was always, always treated as a drug seeker. I hid my pan in from friends and as I started to get jobs I hid my pain for fear of loosing my job. Finally one doctor sort of believed me and ordered an MRI. He said wow, much worse than I thought, seeing you walk and talk I didn't think you were near the pain you should be. I told him 50 years of compensating. I had a bulging disc and the vertebrae with birth defect was the problem, he sent me to a spine surgeon and there I was told nothing could be done surgically because of the bones graphs. Meanwhile that vertebrae is crumbling, my nerve pain isn't come and go it was constant and got to the point I was screaming at night and nothing help. I moved where thee is no medical Marijuana and when I ran out of the supply I snuck in, medical grade gummies it now became impossible to sleep. I got Medicaid in the state real quick, it was a month out for my appointment and told them at night my pan was unbearable. She gave me something for sleep and that help me sleep but still I was suffering. She sent me to pain management 3 weeks out now I've been suffering severely for 2 months with no relief. I got real close to killing myself, very close but somehow I push through to my appointment. They ordered an MRI and would not act on my pain other than a lighted dose of Lyrica and set my next appointment 8 weeks out. I ended up having 3 er visits, one gave ne a shot and prescribed Vicodin, low dose 12 tablets which I stretch out to 6 days and it gave me a little relief, it took the edge off. After that a week later back in ER treated like a drug seeker I stormed out. I called pain management and ask them to please see me as as possible my suffering was unbearable. I had called after hours and left that message. That morning I got a call and I went in to see them. She had gotten my MRI results and got me in the next day for spinal injection. That has helped a lot but still have a lot of neck pain and muscle spasm in my back. I want to try a spinal stimulator but I don't think my doctor will do it. How can I become eligible?
You don’t sound like a drug seeker to me. You sound like you have real injuries. But I know the feeling. I moved to a new state now and have a reasonable pain doctor. My last doctor in a previous state was very smug and proud that he was getting “all (his)patients off opioids.” Surely there is a place for the judicious use of them. I have a spinal cord stimulator and it reduces pain but does not remove it. I cannot tolerate Lyrica due to excessive weight gain but it did help. So I take Cymbalta, and now, Tramadol, and along with the SSC this gets my pain down to a bearable level. Occasionally, I also take Tylenol for Arthritis-2 tablets which helps but you really have to be mindful of how much acetaminophen you take so you don’t destroy your liver. I now live near an active senior center and I find joining in on games and other activities reduces my awareness of pain at least temporarily. Good luck to you in your journey.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction