Pain scales

[GasconAlex]

1 to 10 Pain scales are used frequently and I try to be as consistent as possible, as I know that specific memories of pain are very poor (relatively) and it does not help when the answer is always 'lots'. So I have my own meanings/ level definitions that I have used for the last 30 odd years so at least when I am really hurting I can give meaningful responses.

 

I would like to know if others have their own definitions to help them quantify their pain, and what others do or if you just guess each time?

 

 

I use the following for the top end of the scale:

 

5.   Teeth clenched the whole time 

6.   Still possible to speak in whole (short) sentences 

7.   Not possible to complete sentences in a single try.

8.   Single word answers only

9.   No meaningful words

10. Becoming unconscious due to pain (not fainting or losing consciousness due to lack of blood / blood loss / pressure problems / stroke etc.)

 

 

I haven't ever told the doctors treating me what my scale is, also fairly obviously I cannot ever give an answer of 9 or 10 when I'm at those levels. But at least it means that when it really hurts I really know that I have survived worse or as bad so can survive this time too.

[Pistol]

The standard.approved pain scale used in the US starts with 0 ( no pain ) and ends at 10 ( the worst pain you ever experienced ). So - if the worst pain was - lets say surgery or labor - then you compare your pain to that. That way every one can compare their pain to one they have experienced before and that is different for anyone. Some people may feel that a bee sting was their worst pain, so maybe surgery will be 10. Other people have endured severe pain but surgery may be a 6 for them. That is what they refer as "pain tolerance". That is why the common pain scale is used. If your pain is always a 10 than that means you are always in excrutiating pain IN YOUR EXERIENCE. There is nothing wrong with saying 10 if you truly are always at the highest level of pain you ever experienced.  

[GasconAlex]

Pain is always personal, there is no other benchmark. I'm not trying to suggest otherwise, and if you live at really high pain levels your life must be incredibly difficult.

 

For the pain scales here they always say zero is no pain at all and 10 the worst pain imaginable.

The problem is the memory of pain luckily fades for most people into 'it really hurt I couldn't do xyz because of the pain', it's just the minds way of coping. On the pain studies I've looked at most people rate current (very painful stuff) pain higher than historical pain. So dental pain is often quoted as greater than childbirth. I can't comment on the latter but I'd expect it to be worse.

But when you keep going back to hospital they look at what you said and when (it's often written into the hospital record here, at least) so I believe you need to be consistent so you can work out what works. It also helps me be able to be sure in myself that things are getting better - as in now I can string 3 or 4 words together I could not an hour ago, so therefore even though it is still really really painful it must be less (or the drugs are working).

Maybe it's just my science background, but I'd kind of assumed that most people who regularly encounter pain and have to qualify it to medics would have some sort of scale in order to be consistent, maybe it's just me...