Describing Your Pain
Pain is a private, unique experience that cannot be seen. The most common way to measure pain is for the doctor to ask you, the patient, about your difficulties. For example, the doctor may ask you to describe the level of pain you feel on a scale of 1 to 10. You may use words like:
These words will give the doctor a clearer picture of the pain you are experiencing.
Keeping A Pain Diary
Since doctors rely on your description of pain to help guide treatment, you may want to keep a pain diary to record your pain sensations. You can begin a week or two before your visit to the doctor. On a daily basis, you can describe the situations that cause or alter the intensity of your pain, the sensations and severity of your pain, and your reactions to the pain.
For example:
The diary will give the doctor some insight into your pain and may play a critical role in the management of your disease.
Journaling
Journal writing can be therapeutic, like taking the lid off a steaming pot!
Keeping an arthritis journal has shown many positive benefits. A journal can help you better cope with arthritis. Fight back arthritis pain with the power of the pen.
