8/3/2019 0-10 Pain Scale

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Comparative Pain Scale

0 No pain. Feeling perfectly normal.

Minor

Does notinterfere withmost activities.Able to adapt topain

psychologicallyand withmedication ordevices such ascushions.

1Very Mild

Very light barely noticeable pain, like a mosquito bite or apoison ivy itch. Most of the time you never think about thepain.

2Discomforting

Minor pain, like lightly pinching the fold of skin between thethumb and first finger with the other hand, using thefingernails. Note that people react differently to this self-test.

3Tolerable

Very noticeable pain, like an accidental cut, a blow to thenose causing a bloody nose, or a doctor giving you aninjection. The pain is not so strong that you cannot get usedto it. Eventually, most of the time you don't notice the pain.You have adaptedto it.

Moderate

Interferes withmany activities.Requireslifestylechanges butpatient remainsindependent.Unable to adaptto pain.

4Distressing

Strong, deep pain, like an average toothache, the initial painfrom a bee sting, or minor trauma to part of the body, suchas stubbing your toe real hard. So strong you notice the painall the time and cannot completely adapt. This pain level canbe simulated by pinching the fold of skin between the thumband first finger with the other hand, using the fingernails,and squeezing real hard. Note how the simulated pain isinitially piercing but becomes dull after that.

3Very

Distressing

Strong, deep, piercing pain, such as a sprained ankle whenyou stand on it wrong or mild back pain. Not only do younotice the pain all the time, you are now so preoccupied withmanaging it that you normal lifestyle is curtailed. Temporarypersonality disorders are frequent.

6Intense

Strong, deep, piercing pain so strong it seems to partiallydominate your senses, causing you to think somewhatunclearly. At this point you begin to have trouble holding ajob or maintaining normal social relationships. Comparableto a bad non-migraine headache combined with several beestings, or a bad back pain.

Severe

Unable toengage innormalactivities.Patient isdisabled andunable tofunctionindependently.

7

VeryIntense

Same as 6 except the pain completely dominates yoursenses, causing you to think unclearly about half the time.

At this point you are effectively disabled and frequentlycannot live alone. Comparable to an average migraineheadache.

8UtterlyHorrible

Pain so intense you can no longer think clearly at all, andhave often undergone severe personality change if the painhas been present for a long time. Suicide is frequentlycontemplated and sometimes tried. Comparable to childbirthor a real bad migraine headache.

9ExcruciatingUnbearable

Pain so intense you cannot tolerate it and demand painkillers or surgery, no matter what the side effects or risk. Ifthis doesn't work, suicide is frequent since there is no morejoy in life whatsoever. Comparable to throat cancer.

10UnimaginableUnspeakable

Pain so intense you will go unconscious shortly. Most peoplehave never experienced this level of pain. Those who havesuffered a severe accident, such as a crushed hand, and lostconsciousness as a result of the pain and not blood loss,have experienced level 10.

0 10 Pain Scale

Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital

Heart Center/CVICU

http://www.pudendal.info/info/documents/ComparativePainScale.htm - Author

Alice Rich, RN Recommender and Maintainer

12/08 Last Update