b'Understanding the Pain ScaleWhen you tell a medical professional about your pain, they will likely ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable. Because there is no objective way to measure pain, its important for healthcare professionals to have this information.However, pain is relative. If the worst pain a person ever had is a headache, a headache is the worst pain they can use as their point of comparison. So instead of thinking of pain in terms of how severe it is compared to other pain youve experienced, a more effective way to think of the pain scale is how it is affecting your ability to function.Use the chart below as a reference for describing your pain levels when talking to your doctor. 10 Unable to MoveI am in bed and cant move due to my pain. I need someone to take me to the emergency room to get help for my pain. 9 Severe My pain is all that I can think about. I can barely talk or move because of the pain. 8 IntenseMy pain is so severe that it is hard to think of anything else. Talking and listening are difficult. 7 UnmanageableI am in pain all the time. It keeps me from doing most activities. 6 DistressingI think about my pain all of the time. I give up many activites because of my pain. 5 DistractingI think about my pain all of the time. I cannot do some of the activities I need to do each day because of the pain. 4 ModerateI am constantly aware of my pain but I can continue most activities. 3 UncomfortableMy pain bothers me but I can ignore it most of the time. 2 MildI have a low level of pain. I am aware of my pain only when I pay attention to it. 1 MinimalMy pain is hardly noticeable. 0 No Pain I have no pain.53msfocusmagazine.org'