I found a great link the other day about pain level comparisons. I wish I had found this sooner. It truly helps to describe the difference between pain levels. All pain is individual - we feel things differently and what is a level 5 to you may be a level 8 for me.
For example, I come from a red-headed family (everyone on my father's side), so I require stronger anesthesia for surgery and I feel pain in a different way than the general population does. I didn't realize this until I had shoulder surgery in 2008 and required almost 25 doses of morphine post-surgery to get my pain under control in the recovery room. When I had sinus surgery in 2009, the Chief of Anesthesiology told me that I needed a different mix of drugs for surgery than most people. Including the 2009 surgery, I've had three surgeries where they knew I needed a stronger dose, and fortunately I have never had that kind of pain again when waking up from surgery!
One thing I did notice from the comparative pain chart is that when my pain is as severe as I think it can get, it is really a 9, not a 10. But other than that, I think my self-described levels of pain are pretty much in line with this link.
I am going to print it out to take to all future doctor/specialists appointments, as well as share with family and friends to help them better "visualize" what I mean when I say my pain level is a 7 (for example).
Linda, thank you so much for this. I shall alert Red, he may contact you to use it. I find it very interesting and like you I have re-assessed myself down one score point.
Like you I warn Dr's about my hair. It is fading now and "helped" but it does affect the amount of anesthetic I need and i always discuss before surgery with the medical team.
Excellent discussion for all of us here, thank you again. Jackie
Interesting...... I showed it to my mom last night and I said what I was at during the height of an attack..... she was shocked and cried. I think it was the first time I admitted that I laid there praying to die and that I didn't really make a plan per se, but I was thinking of the ways that taking my life could be done. It scares me when I say that. I would never do it, I would never ever leave my child alone to face something like that..... but oh when you are in that pain, you think about it. Or I do. Alot. Which is why I have been looking for someone who teaches mindful meditation. I have an appointment with someone next week.
Thank you for sharing it. I don't think my mom knew what was in my head when this was going on.
Thanks for posting that. It's the best pain chart I've seen.
I never use level 9 or 10 because I figured that would be like being burned alive or something. I was worried that my doctor thought I was in less pain than I am because most people do use 9 and 10. He said he doesn't compare my pain levels to other people's levels, because he knows it's different for everyone. He compares me to me.
However, I worry that this affects my disability applications, because it appears I'm in less pain if my 5-6 is most people's 7-8. I'm going to put this pain chart in my files in case I need to use it someday.
What the pain scales don't take into consideration is the frequency of the pain. My migraines can be more painful than my teeth which hurt 24/7, but even though they are more painful, they are less distressing because they will go away and I'll get a break from the pain. The 24/7 pain is so distressing because it NEVER goes away and rules my life.
This is really helpful, Linda. It's hard for me to describe the background pain that I have with my TN because it is constant. I now know I can describe it as being at the "tolerable" point. I am printing it out for my visits to my doctor. I hate when they ask me, "On a scale of 1-5........" That means nothing to me. Especially if I am being hit with bolts of pain as in a full blown attack. There's the background pain then the ice pick to the head pain. It's not a simple one to five scale!
Thanks, this is helpful and I will use it and take to the doctor. I had a bout of cellulitis on my hand a year ago--it blew up like a balloon and got so bad I nearly fainted from it. So I've used that as my "10" and thought 9 makes me scream out, 8 makes me cry, 7 makes me suck in breath and be still, 6 is completely distracting to whatever I do, 5 is strong but endurable, 4 on down were harder to express.