Over the past two years, a simple but baffling request has preceded most of my encounters with medical professionals: 'Rate your pain on a scale of zero to 10.'
KFF Health NewsJul 2 2024 Over the past two years, a simple but baffling request has preceded most of my encounters with medical professionals: "Rate your pain on a scale of zero to 10."
The concept of reducing these shades of pain to a single number dates to the 1970s. But the zero-to-10 scale is ubiquitous today because of what was called a "pain revolution" in the '90s, when intense new attention to addressing pain — primarily with opioids — was framed as progress. Doctors today have a fuller understanding of treating pain, as well as the terrible consequences of prescribing opioids so readily.
After pain doctors and opioid manufacturers campaigned for broader use of opioids — claiming that newer forms were not addictive, or much less so than previous incarnations — prescribing the drugs became far easier and were promoted for all kinds of pain, whether from knee arthritis or back problems.
A zero-to-10 scale may make sense in certain situations, such as when a nurse uses it to adjust a medication dose for a patient hospitalized after surgery or an accident. And researchers and pain specialists have tried to create better rating tools — dozens, in fact, none of which was adequate to capture pain's complexity, a European panel of experts concluded.
Addiction Cancer Doctor Drugs Head Injury Health Care Narcotics Opioid Addiction Opioids Pain Management Research
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pain scale tool not effective in detecting pain in cancer patients, says researcherEvery year, several thousand cancer patients in Sweden risk receiving too little pain relief in the end of life, as the health care system fails to detect that the patients are suffering from pain.
Read more »
EastEnders star Jessie Wallace undergoes surgery after years of ‘excruciating pain’...EastEnders star Jessie Wallace has undergone foot surgery after years of excruciating pain. In a heartfelt message to her followers, she expressed relief and gratitude. The video also covers her relationships and future plans.
Read more »
Five years of pain and still no answers - Regan Tierney’s family remember her‘Regan was such a loving, selfless and beautiful soul’
Read more »
England's 58 years of European Championship & World Cup painIt has been 58 years since England last won a major tournament - BBC Sport recaps some of the more painful exits and campaigns since 1966.
Read more »
Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic 'pain free' after knee operationNovak Djokovic says he is 'pain free' after his knee injury as he comes through an exhibition match against Daniil Medvedev prior to Wimbledon.
Read more »
Novak Djokovic: Seven-time Wimbledon champion 'pain free' ahead of first roundNovak Djokovic has declared himself 'pain free' after overcoming Daniil Medvedev in an exhibition match ahead of Wimbledon.
Read more »