Patient Information

What's your Pain Score?

What is your pain score?


While pain is the body’s way of letting you know something is wrong, no one should have to live with it. The good news is that more than 95 percent of pain can be managed. Talking with a provider at Advanced Pain Management about your pain is your first step in fighting it. In fact, a little advance planning can make the discussion virtually painless.

For starters, your doctor needs to know as much as possible about your pain in order to properly diagnose the cause and recommend the right treatments. So before a visit, think about your pain so you can more clearly describe the type of pain, how long you’ve had it, and what triggers it.

The words you choose to describe exactly how you feel and the type of pain you have can tell your healthcare professional a lot. Is it a throbbing pain like a steady drumbeat? Does it feel like you’re on fire, as though a part of you is burning? Is it an occasional stabbing or sharp pain or a low-level, constant ache? Is it a 3 or 4 on the above 10-point scale – with 10 being the worst – or an 8 or 9? Is it always the same intensity or type? Is it worse at different times of day or under different weather conditions?

Keep a pain diary, for at least a week or two, to help you remember the details and give your doctor insight. Patterns may emerge when the cycle of pain is reviewed over time.

You don’t have to suffer from chronic pain, post-surgical pain, or pain generally associated with a condition (such as migraine). Make an appointment with Advanced Pain Management today.