A
pain scale measures a
patientA patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. The person is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other health care professional, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient.The word...
's
painPhysical Pain is the unpleasant feeling common to a headache and a stubbed toe. It typically consists of negative affect and aversion, and has location, duration, intensity and a distinctive quality...
intensity or other features. Pain scales are based on self-report, observational (behavioral), or physiological data. Self-report is considered primary and should be obtained if possible. Pain scales are available for neonates, infants, children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and persons whose communication is impaired. Pain scores are sometimes regarded as "the Fifth
Vital SignVital signs are measures of various physiological statistics, often taken by health professionals, in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a case presentation. The act of taking vital signs normally entails recording Body temperature, Pulse rate ,...
."
- Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale
- Visual analog scale (VAS)
- McGill Pain Questionnaire
The McGill Pain Questionnaire, also known as McGill pain index, is a scale of rating pain developed at McGill University by Melzack and Torgerson in 1971....
(MPQ)
- Descriptor differential scale (DDS)
- Faces Pain Scale - Revised (FPS-R)
- Numerical 11 point box (BS-11)
- Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11)
- Dolorimeter
A dolorimeter is an instrument used to measure pain tolerance. Dolorimetry has been defined as "the measurement of pain sensitivity or pain intensity." There are several kinds of dolorimeter that have been developed...
Pain Index (DPI)
- Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
- Walid-Robinson Pain Index (WRI) = Intensity upon admission (0–10) × Length (in months).
- DSPI=(ΣX*Y)*100 where X is the highest pain level and Y is the percentage of this pain level in the group.
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A
pain scale measures a
patientA patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. The person is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other health care professional, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient.The word...
's
painPhysical Pain is the unpleasant feeling common to a headache and a stubbed toe. It typically consists of negative affect and aversion, and has location, duration, intensity and a distinctive quality...
intensity or other features. Pain scales are based on self-report, observational (behavioral), or physiological data. Self-report is considered primary and should be obtained if possible. Pain scales are available for neonates, infants, children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and persons whose communication is impaired. Pain scores are sometimes regarded as "the Fifth
Vital SignVital signs are measures of various physiological statistics, often taken by health professionals, in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a case presentation. The act of taking vital signs normally entails recording Body temperature, Pulse rate ,...
."
Examples of pain scales
|
Self-report |
Observational |
Physiological |
| Infant |
— |
Premature Infant Pain Profile; Neonatal/Infant Pain Scale |
— |
| Child |
Faces Pain Scale - Revised; Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale; Coloured Analogue Scale |
FLACC (Face Legs Arms Cry Consolability Scale); CHEOPS (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale |
Comfort |
| Adult |
Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11, NRS-101); Visual Analog Scale; Brief Pain Inventory |
— |
— |
Partial list of pain measurement scales
- Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale
- Visual analog scale (VAS)
- McGill Pain Questionnaire
The McGill Pain Questionnaire, also known as McGill pain index, is a scale of rating pain developed at McGill University by Melzack and Torgerson in 1971....
(MPQ)
- Descriptor differential scale (DDS)
- Faces Pain Scale - Revised (FPS-R)
- Numerical 11 point box (BS-11)
- Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11)
- Dolorimeter
A dolorimeter is an instrument used to measure pain tolerance. Dolorimetry has been defined as "the measurement of pain sensitivity or pain intensity." There are several kinds of dolorimeter that have been developed...
Pain Index (DPI)
- Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
- Walid-Robinson Pain Index (WRI) = Intensity upon admission (0–10) × Length (in months).
- DSPI=(ΣX*Y)*100 where X is the highest pain level and Y is the percentage of this pain level in the group. The DSPI is different from the simple numeric 0–10 scale in that it is measured for a group of patients with a specific diagnosis whereas the numeric 0–10 pain scale is administered individually.
Specialized tests
- Pediatric Pain Questionnaire (PPQ) for measuring pain in children
- Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) for measuring pain in premature infants
In humans, preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. Premature birth, commonly used as a synonym for preterm birth, refers to the birth of a premature infant. Because it is by far the most common cause of prematurity, preterm birth is the major cause of...
- Schmidt Sting Pain Index
The Schmidt Sting Pain Index or the Justin O. Schmidt Pain Index is a pain scale rating the relative pain caused by different Hymenopteran stings. It is mainly the work of Justin O. Schmidt, an entomologist at the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center...
and Starr sting pain scaleStarr sting pain scale or "A Pain Scale for Bee, Wasp, and Ant Stings" was created by the entomologist Christopher Starr as a scale to compare the overall pain of Hymenopteran stings on a four-point scale . 1 is the lowest pain rating; 4 is the highest....
both for insect stings
- Colorado Behavioral Numerical Pain Scale (for sedated patients)