Everyone feels pain differently. A pain scale is one way for you to measure your pain so that doctors can help plan how best to manage it. The pain scale helps the doctor keep track of how well your treatment plan is working to reduce your pain and help you do daily tasks.
Most pain scales use numbers from 0 to 10. A score of 0 means no pain, and 10 means the worst pain you have ever felt.
Use the list below to find the number that best describes your pain.
- 0 = No pain.
- 1 = Pain is very mild, barely noticeable. Most of the time you don't think about it.
- 2 = Minor pain. It's annoying. You may have stronger twinges now and then.
- 3 = Noticeable pain. It may distract you, but you can get used to it.
- 4 = Moderate pain. If you are involved in an activity, you're able to ignore the pain for a while. But it is still distracting.
- 5 = Moderately strong pain. You can't ignore it for more than a few minutes. But, with effort, you can still work or do some social activities.
- 6 = Moderately stronger pain. You avoid some of your normal daily activities. You have trouble concentrating.
- 7 = Strong pain. It keeps you from doing normal activities.
- 8 = Very strong pain. It's hard to do anything at all.
- 9 = Pain that is very hard to tolerate. You can't carry on a conversation.
- 10 = Worst pain possible.
Current as of:
February 27, 2018
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & David Messenger, BSc, MD, FRCPC, FCCP - Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
