Pain assessment tools
There are several pain measurement tools
available to help patients communicate
their level of pain and to allow levels to be
monitored over time, with any changes
highlighted.
The simplest example is the visual analogue
scale (VAS), which asks patients to
indicate the severity of their perceived
pain on a straight line graded from “no
pain” to “worst possible pain”. Other basic
pain assessment tools include numerical/
descriptive colour scales and pain faces
(Douglas and Way, 2006).
In addition, there are a number of validated
tools, including the McGill Pain
Questionnaire, which asks specific questions
about patients’ pain experiences and
can provide valuable insight into the
nature of their pain and its effect on
quality of life (Melzack, 1975).
Pain scales are also available for patients
with dementia, such as the Pain Assessment
for the Dementing Elderly (PADE)
(Villanueva et al, 2003) and the Pain Assessment
in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD)
Scale (Warden et al, 2003).
Pain diaries are also useful in trying to
understand how pain affects a patient on a
day-to-day basis (Hockenberry et al, 2009).