This is what they should really have up in hospitals and Dr’s offices instead of those happy/sad faces saying a 1 is “No Pain” and 10 “Is the Worst Pain Ever.” The reality is much more complicated than that and seeing a little understanding in the chart would make a difference I can’t even explain.
Then Everything Changed 
Amazing…sitting in the gulag hospital and being asked with one of these charts after a major injury has been one of my biggest internal debates. Inside, I ponder, “Should I say 11, because I want to scream like I’ve committed hira kira, or a 9, because if I said 11 they wouldn’t take me seriously?”
So true!!!
….I agree with this pain scale – we are connoisseurs of pain.
My favorite pain scale ever! I love it!
This pain scale really rings true. It was also useful to show to my husband, who now has a better idea of why I consider a 3 a good day.
Pain scale is a hoax designed to make the person feel appreciated when the doctor has no such intention to actually feel for you . I’ve tried every # possible and it has never led to them understanding . Maybe the magic # is a decimal like 8.65 . I’ve been councilled how to act like your in pain by well meaning people . As if being in pain isn’t hard enough then add having to ask the uncaring authority for help that is not forthcoming , add now to ACT like your in pain . People in pain who lose their life to pain also have other emotions too. Smiling and even laughing at times is not a sign the claim to pain is fake . What I think is fake is this worlds ability to care . My pain dr dunn is a sadist and a pain dr . I could not make this up . When he perpetuates my pain it feels like he causes my pain . His momentary toothy grin reveals the seemingly sexual gratification he feels being able to rule my care . I’m in I want to die pain . Making my exit educational is all thats left to me now . The pain scale as used against me never helped me at all , but I love your title , after pain everything changed [ corroded , decayed , devolved, shrank , corrupted , smelled bad then fell off completely. I watched my ability to be a loving person , make a living , remain calm all disappear behind me .I watch as my life becomes a speck in my rear view mirror , soon to disappear altogether . There is no body #2 , no retreat from your own bones . I shouldn’t have to make a fetish out of the prospect of fade to black to get through the day . There is something worse than death and that is to twist in naked brutal overwhelming physical pain with out end and no help from who we trusted to care .
This is EXCELLENT. I should share this with my pain doc. I’m at a 7 most of the time with occasional forays into 8
The crucial part is how much pain is overhanging ability to cope . Coping ability fluctuates and is not factored in to 1 to 10 , and the part your not able to deal with becomes the part we all need to be aware of . The red line pain scale . So many times the health care person has very little time to make you feel heard so this is the ritual used for that . The outrage is to see paid professionals be at complete peace with profound present human suffering . The scale is a tool or a weapon depending on the agenda . Pay attention to see if your response causes understanding or more obfuscation . They want to seem with you but are they willing to oppose your suffering .
This is really helpful. I wonder how a Dr. would respond to me bringing this in to help me explain what I am experiencing.
This pain scale is SO much more helpful that those goofy faces. It’s been around for quite a few years and I don’t know why it hasn’t caught on more except in blogs. The earliest reference I’ve found is from 2002. See OneArmedGraphics.com –>About OAG –>Chronic Pain –> Chronic Pain Scale.
This is pretty awesome and well done! it actually describes the attacks accurately thank you so much for doing it I actually shared it with my doctor and gave you the credit!