Sample Questions for Baseline Assessment of Pain cont'd

There are several mnemonics noted in the literature that can be used to structure a baseline assessment of pain.

In addition to the PQRST approach, clinicians may want to consider using one of the following mnemonics, based on the needs of the practice setting:

SAMPLE 1: PAINED

Place – Location of the pain (could be multiple sites).
Amount – Refers to pain intensity (10 point scale), onset, duration, pattern of pain.
Intensifierse – What makes the pain worse? (i.e., activity, position, time of day, stress, etc.).
Nullifiers – What makes the pain better? (i.e., type and amount of medication, non-pharmacological methods).
Effects &ndash Effect of pain on quality of life (i.e., functional status, sleep, appetite, social interactions); adverse effects of analgesics.
Descriptors – Description of the quality of the pain (i.e., aching, throbbing, burning, stabbing, pressure, etc.).

Onset When did the pain start?
Location Where is your pain? (Could be multiple sites).
Duration How long does your pain last? Is it persistent or periodic?
Characteristics What does it feel like? Is it burning, sharp, shooting, throbbing, etc?
Aggravating Factors What makes your pain worse (e.g., walking, moving, breathing, turning, chewing).
Relieving Factors What makes your pain better? Ask about any non-pharmacological approaches.
Treatment – What medications work for you? Do you have side effects from your medications?