Pain Appraisal

Abstract

Chapter 4 describes the terminology and assessment of pain and addresses the need for a fundamental “language of pain.” Because pain is so prevalent and because clinical decision-making in acute care settings relies heavily on rapid and reliable pain appraisal, it is essential to understand the properties of commonly used tools for assessing pain and evaluating responses to pain treatments. The tools appropriate for pain assessment vary across the life span, and administration of age-appropriate instruments for pain assessment is a foundational clinical skill in pain care. The historical origins of pain appraisal are discussed with relevance to current practice. This chapter also introduces the concept of the basic classification of pain according mechanism class: specifically, pain as nociceptive, neuropathic, and inflammatory. Additional pain terminology is introduced, such as the terms hyperalgesia and allodynia; excerpted terms from the formal International Association for the Study of Pain taxonomy are referenced.