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Updated: Oct 11, 2026

A Protocol of Manual Tests to Measure Sensation and Pain in Humans
Published on: December 19, 2016
Pain measurement: a comparison using horizontal and vertical visual analogue scales
1East Carolina University, School of Nursing, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA. stephensonn@mail.ecu.edu
Abstract:
The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) is widely used in assessing a variety of pain problems. MPQ has been found to be sensitive enough to detect differences in pain relief and differences between acute and chronic pain. It requires, however, 5 to 10 minutes to administer. Because of this time factor, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was developed. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was not included in the original MPQ but is part of the SF-MPQ. Studies addressing the best way to present a VAS suggest that a vertical line is easier for patients to see; however, the VAS on the SF-MPQ is a horizontal line. This study examined the relationship between SF-MPQ scores with both the horizontal and vertical VAS.
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