Pain
Description or Measurement of Pain

Each person has a different response to pain. Even at different times and under different circumstances you may feel varying levels of pain with the same condition. Communication with your health care team and family is necessary for best pain control. The use of a consistent pain scale helps to best communicate the level of pain a patient experiences. There are two very common methods used by health care professionals.

Wong/Baker Face Scale ⁴

Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, From Wong D.L., Hockenberry-Eaton M., Wilson D., Winkelstein M.L., Schwartz P.: Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing, ed. 6, St. Louis, 2001, p. 1301. Copyrighted by Mosby, Inc. Reprinted by permission.

Numeric Scale ⁴

It is important to let your healthcare team know about your pain. A helpful way is to keep a journal. It is important to tell your healthcare team know:

• Where the pain is



• What it feels like sharp, dull, achy, and tingly



• How long the pain lasts



• What helps the pain, what makes it worse



• What medications you are taking and how much and how long they help



• What things have you tried in the past that work for you (massage, heat, other medicines)



• All the medicines you are taking (it is helpful to keep a written list in your wallet or purse)