If
you’re already in the medical system you’re probably familiar with this
question: On a scale of 0-10, how much pain are you currently experiencing?
Usually there’s a piece of paper posted nearby
with the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 on it with a ‘smiley face’ under each of the
numbers (a big smile at zero, and a full frown at ten). Zero is no pain at all, and ten is supposed
to represent the top level of pain that a patient thinks they can bear.
Ratings illustrate a crucial point; since we all experience pain differently,
your rating may not be the same as mine.
Maybe your tolerance for needles is greater than mine, in which case you might rate a needle stick a 1 (I give it a 2). Maybe you really hate needles and give it a 4 or 5. If you discover that your pain threshold is
higher than mine, you can mentally adjust some or all the ratings in my grids
downward as you proceed. If your pain
threshold is lower, you may adjust the ratings upward. If you find that your pain profile generally matches mine on average, you can use it as your primary PAG when preparing for a
test.
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