Types of Pain Scales
Healthcare providers have at least 11 types of pain scales to choose from.
Quantitative scales answer the question, “How bad is your pain?”
They’re helpful for gauging your response to treatment over time.
NIH / Warren Grant Magnusen Clinical Center
Qualitative pain scales answer the question, “What does it feel like?”
No one particular pain scale is considered ideal or better than the others for every situation.
Some of these tools are best suited for people of certain ages.
Valis
Others are more useful for people who are highly involved in their own health care.
It is one of the most commonly used pain scales in health care.
Zero means you have no pain, while 10 represents the most intense pain possible.
RamiNaif / Researchgate
Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale
The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale combines pictures and numbers for pain ratings.
It can be used in adults and children over age 3.
Six faces depict different expressions, ranging from happy to extremely upset.
Ratologydisabled
Each is assigned a numerical rating between 0 (smiling) and 10 (crying).
FLACC Pain Scale
The FLACC Pain Scale is based on observations made by a healthcare provider.
Originally created to evaluate young children, it can be used for anyone who cannot communicate.
U.S. Department of Defense
FLACC stands for:
Zero to two points are assigned for each of the five categories.
Then the overall score is tallied.
It’s widely used in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
This assessment tool is based on a healthcare provider’s observations and objective measurements.
You rate your own pain by marking the words that best match your feelings.
This pain scale is helpful for adults and children who can read.
The Color Analog Scale is often used for children and is considered reliable.
Each line has a minus sign at the start and a plus sign at the end.
They can also help define your pain in mutually understood terms.
The medical community uses several kinds of pain scales.
Some use pictures or colors, others use numbers or words, and some use combinations of these.
Some doctors regularly use a pain scale.
Some hospital rooms even have them posted on their walls.
They’re a useful tool for improving diagnosis and treatment.
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U.S. Department of Defense.Your pain on a scale of 1-10?
Check out a new DOD way to evaluate pain.
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