Friday, May 22, 2009

Level of Pain

"What's your level of pain on a scale of 1 -10? 1 being hardly any pain and 10 being the worst pain in your life?"

- standard nursing question

Why do nurses ask you this question? I have no idea how to answer it and I certainly don't know how it can help them do their job. 

I can handle some pain. I know that some people can't. It's a completely subjective thing. How does this question make any sense?

I know that when I had my appendix out several years ago, it definitely was the worst pain that I'd ever had in my life. I was asked the above question and I answered "6" because I could imagine worse pain.  

Today, when I was in the Emergency Room, I said "8" but I'm not sure my pain really was an 8. Sure I hurt just moving, or lying down, or turning, or looking a certain way. And the pain has been  constant and steady since yesterday morning.  

If you want to read more about my injury, check my post on my main blog,


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