There are many options for pain scales out there, and if you spent any time in a doctor's office or an emergency room, you've likely seen this one before:
I hate this scale. Even before I entered the world of chronic pain, I didn't feel like it really was nuanced or clear enough. It leaves so much up to relative interpretation. For instance, "hurts a whole lot" could mean "I broke a toe" or "I'm actively in labor without any pain medication". It just depends on the person. And while I understand that no matter what pain scale you use the interpretation will be relative, I still think that there should be a more clear and precise method of getting the concept of your pain levels across. That in mind, I found a few other pain scales on the web that are a little less… vague. I'll be picking one and using it as my standard measurement of pain when I go to record my pain levels, so that I have a consistent standard to measure my progression or regression by.
(Btw, did you know that there are so many different flavors and shades of pain? "Unbearable" can come in so many forms. Also, "worst pain imaginable/possible" is a crock. I know that there is always worse pain possible and imaginable, even if I haven't yet experienced it for myself.)
I bring you… a few better pain scales.
0 comments:
Post a Comment