Originally Posted by EnglishDave

All of us who suffer Chronic Pain have been asked by our GP, PM Team or Neuro to quantify our pain on a scale of 0-10.
Not only is this a difficult question, but I have found that there are numerous Scales out there with widely different examples/descriptions of the pain suffered for each numerical value. For example, childbirth ranges from 5 to 8, and 10 can mean - Worst imaginable - Bedridden and in need of medical aid - So bad slipping into unconsciousness. Some Scales give NO intermediate examples, just 0 = No pain - 10 = Worst imaginable.
So how do you know - when you say you are at a 7 - your Doctor isn't hearing '4/5'? My advice - which I will be following myself as my Pain Management Team is now split between NHS and Private Clinics - is to choose a Scale that best describes your pain, download and print multiple copies and mark those up to give to your PM Team.
Having multiple injuries, neurological conditions, Neuropathic Facial Parasthesia, TN and Cluster Headaches adding to my total pain score, I will opt for filling in Pain Quality Assessment Scales. These break down types of pain - hot/cold/electric/stabbing… - frequency - duration - then Overall Score.
Appointments go by alarmingly quickly. With this forward planning, not only can you convey your problems in a manner both sides can understand, but you are unlikely to miss something you wanted to bring up.

Dave.