Pain scale

[cjsmith]

A descriptive tool posted by mactavish. I'm stealing this for my own use :-)


0-Pain free

1-Very minor annoyance
Mild aches to some parts of the body. No pain medication needed.

2-Minor annoyance
Dull aches to some parts of the body. No pain medication needed.

3-Annoying enough to be distracting
Over-the-Counter pain relievers take care of it.

4-Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting
Over-the-Counter pain relievers remove pain for 3-4 hours.

5-Can't be ignored for more than 30 minutes
Over-the-Counter pain relievers help somewhat (lower but do not remove pain entirely) for 3-4 hours.

6-Can't be ignored for any length of time
Can still go to work and participate in social activities. Stronger non-narcotic painkillers relieve pain for 3-4 hours.

7-Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep
Can still function with effort. Stronger painkillers are only partially effective.

8-Physical activity severely limited
Can read and converse with effort. Non-narcotic painkillers are not effective. Narcotic painkillers provide partial to complete relief.

9-Non functional for all practical purposes
Cannot concentrate. Physical activity halted. Panic sets in. Narcotic pain killers provide partial relief.

10-Totally non-functional
Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably - near delirium.


My menstrual periods are 7 (on a good month), 8 (average), or 9 (bad month like last time). Many times, I've been at 10 while waiting for painkillers to take effect, but I don't know if that "counts". The only symptom that doesn't fit is the panic -- that sets in only when I think about trying to diagnose or fix this without health insurance.

[Edit: This isn't me seeking sympathy, or even me whining. It's just a resource and a statement of "how it is" for me.]