Pain scale? More like pain in the booty. No two people seem to read it the same way, and chronic folks tend to downplay their pain.
So here’s an idea: when asked to rate your pain, provide a number to rate your distress levels in addition to your pain levels.
Some examples:
“I’m at a 5 on the pain scale, but my distress is basically a 1 because this is my usual.”
“I’m at a 3 on the pain scale, but my distress is a 7 because this is new pain and affects a part of my body that’s very important to my work.”
It’s a great way to consider how your pain is impacting you—and to get a doctor’s attention where it’s actually needed.
OP is a genius
(via feltelures)
