Anything with “Owie, it hurts” in the title catches my attention like a recent posting on MSNBC. The article, written by Linda Carroll, discusses a new tool that helps doctors understand the pain you are in. As I have complained about before, those 10-point pain scales really don’t make sense to me. It is way too subjective and confusing.
Now there is a standardized, computerized scoring system called Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information system (PROMIS), which includes 120 questions specific to pain, as well as hundreds more dealing with anxiety, depression and fatigue.
This article agreed with me saying “Everybody experiences and copes with pain differently. One person may feel only a little discomfort, but resists performing daily chores such as unloading groceries for fear of making it worse. Another may report significant joint pain, but still go full speed on the treadmill.” That’s me exactly.
I look forward to when this pain scale is used to provide more realistic, and accurate pain measurement. To read the entire article, click here.
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