1. Use a Numbered Pain Intensity Scale
As a subjective experience, it can be frustrating to try to explain your pain level to physicians. To help your doctor understand your pain, it's important to quantify it. The numbered pain intensity scale--which can be written or verbal--begins at zero and ends at 10. When describing your pain, zero represents a pain-free state, and 10 represents the most excruciating pain imaginable.
As you begin to define the numbers between zero and 10, consider grouping them into categories. One, two and three are "bearable," but getting progressively more uncomfortable. Four, five and six can be used for "moderate" pain levels. When your pain reaches the middle of the scale, you are probably in a state of distressing pain and may be actively seeking medication or other treatment.
Once you've reached a seven, eight or nine, your pain is "severe" and is becoming the focal point of your life. You're probably making constant efforts to find relief, and even simple tasks are disrupted by your tendency to dwell on your condition. If your pain reaches a nine, you may be pleading for drug intervention, surgery or even sedation.
As you learn to interpret the pain scale, try to be consistent. Your doctor should begin to understand your pain levels, identify noteworthy patterns and provide appropriate treatment and support.
2. Mark Pain Levels on a Visual Analog Scale
If the numeric scale doesn't resonate with you, try using a visual analog scale. Drawn as a simple, straight line with the far left representing "no pain" and the far right representing the "worst pain imaginable." Your doctor will ask you to mark the place on the line that best describes your current level. Consider printing a copy of the scale and keeping it in your pain diary. When you mark your levels over the course of a day or week, include the dates and times next to your marks. Your completed scale will help your doctor visualize how your pain levels ebb and flow from day to day and hour to hour.
3. Maintain a Pain Journal
A journal is a useful way of quantifying pain levels for your physicians, but it also provides you with a therapeutic outlet. When you're investing precious energy in your preoccupation with pain, try jotting down your feelings. Breaking frustrations and discomfort specifics down on paper can help you see them as manageable rather than overwhelming. Try dividing your diary into two sections--one to keep track of pain details for your doctor, and the other for exploring your feelings and emotions.
In the first section, remember to report where you're feeling pain, its intensity and frequency, how long the pain lasts, what medications you've taken, and what may have affected your discomfort. Is the weather changing rapidly? Was your pain influenced by your activity level? Which activities seem to help? Which cause further discomfort? Is the pain affecting your sleep? This information will help your doctor assess your improvement or decline, as well as identify patterns in medication responses, treatment approaches and physical activity.
The second section of your journal is just for you. It's a place to vent your frustrations, document improvements and explore the feelings that go with each. Spend a few minutes each day jotting down your thoughts, but remember not to become too reliant upon the journal. When you spend too much time focusing on your pain, it can be more detrimental than therapeutic. Think of your journaling time as an opportunity to purge yourself of anger, sadness and negativity, and then close the book on it for awhile.
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