Tips for Describing Your Pain

How to Describe Your Aches & Pains

When it comes to seeking treatment for persistent pain, it is important to be as descriptive as possible. The spinal health experts at Inspired Spine are here to share some tips to help you communicate your symptoms as effectively as possible.

Severity

When you head to your doctor about persistent pain, it is common for them to ask you how bad it is on a scale of 1 to 10. Unfortunately, pain levels are subjective and can vary from person to person. So when you give a number for your level of pain, follow up with additional contextual information. For example if your pain level is a 7, you may want to mention that you think you need more than over-the-counter pain medicine to manage your symptoms.

Sensation

Describing the sensations that you are experiencing can help your doctors to get to the root of what is causing your pain. Some helpful words to help describe what you're feeling can include:

• Burning
• Tingling
• Pinching
• Throbbing
• Aching
• Dull
• Pulsing
• Shooting
• Sharp
• Tender
• Cramping

Location

Clearly communicating the location of your pain can also help your doctor to determine the appropriate course of treatment for your condition/ Along with pointing to the affected area, the following terms can help you to be as specific as possible:

• Inside
• In
• Over
• Under
• Lower
• Upper
• Right
• Left

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in Minnesota

When it comes to aches and pains, discomfort that affects your back can be more than just an annoyance — it can negatively affect your quality of life and your independence. At Inspired Spine, our experienced and knowledgeable spinal surgeons are dedicated to relieving your chronic back pain with the least invasive treatment possible.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our spine surgeons, call (952) 225-5266 today.