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Published on: December 19, 2016
Self-Report Measures of Hand Pain Intensity: Current Evidence and Recommendations
Elena Castarlenas1, Rocío de la Vega1, Mark P Jensen2
1Unit for the Study and Treatment of Pain - ALGOS, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Catalonia, Carretera de Valls, s/n 43007, Spain; Department of Psychology, Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Catalonia, Carretera de Valls, s/n 43007, Spain; Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Catalonia, Carretera de Valls, s/n 43007, Spain.
Abstract:
Successful management of problems related to the hands and upper extremities begins with a comprehensive assessment of the pain experience and related factors. Pain intensity is the domain most commonly assessed, and pain relief is often the primary goal of treatment. Because pain is a private and subjective experience, self-report is considered the gold standard of pain measurement. This article describes and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the most commonly used self-report scales used to measure hand pain intensity, and gives recommendations to help clinicians select from among the various options for measuring the intensity of hand pain.
