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.]

Comments

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

I like this scale. Unfortunately, at the moment I'm at a 7 (damn tooth!), but this is a good one for my menstrual issues, too. I'm usually around a 6 on an average month.

Oh, wow, I think the Vicodin's kicking in. Good night :-)

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

That's very useful! (I musta missed Mary's post of it). With my problems of the last six months, I think I've only hit 9 that one night at Bryce Canyon. I've had lots of days that peaked at 7, (probably a third to a half of them over the last six months) but I think less than (say) a month or two ago.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Wow. I knew you were feeling weird and wrong and had some pain, but I had no idea how much pain. For me, pain interfering with sleep is Pretty Bad.

One thing I'm only now realizing is the level of pain I have when I'm NOT having my period. It can easily get to 3 or 4, in terms of distraction, although for pain at that level it doesn't usually occur to me to take painkillers.

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's always hard to read someone elses pain--I had in a little bit of the same reaction to your numbers, even though you'd said as much before. Fortunately on the sleep thing--my pain episodes have tended to be worst during the midday, that first night at Bryce a notable exception. And again, I say "peak" at those numbers, it's never constantly worst throughout the day.

Something else is clear from reading those numbers and thinking back--things really are better for me than they were a month or two ago. Hooray!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Something else is clear from reading those numbers and thinking back--things really are better for me than they were a month or two ago. Hooray!

Hooray!

This scale is a GREAT tool for that sort of comparison. I'm glad it exists.

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

I feel for you. My periods have never bothered me - it feels like I have to go...that's about it.

On the other hand, I have NO idea how I would have coped with labor since I missed the experience with Alan.

I hope a solution can be found soon for you.

(The second best part about being pregnant was no periods, but I don't think that solution would work for you.)