Table 2.
Assessment of pain symptoms
| Had an abdominal pain attack at least once for the last 3 mo or longer? |
| Experienced either pain or discomfort in the abdomen of a continuous steady nature at least once per week for the last 3 mo or longer? |
| For women: Did the onset of pain begin during pregnancy or soon after pregnancy? |
| Evaluated in the Emergency Department or seek medical attention for the abdominal pain? |
| Admitted to the hospital for the abdominal pain? |
| Estimate how often pain medications are required for the pain: |
| Not at all or rarely (less than 10% of the episodes) |
| Occasionally (less than 50% o the episodes) |
| Very often (more than 50% of the episodes) |
| Almost always (more than 80% of the episodes) |
| Time-interval during which the pain most often occurs: |
| 7 am – 12 pm |
| 12 pm – 6 pm |
| 6 pm – 11 pm |
| 11 pm – 7 am |
| Highly variable and unable to predict time of onset |
| Rate how often the pain occurs in the following abdominal areas: |
| Right upper quadrant1 |
| Left upper quadrant1 |
| Right lower quadrant1 |
| Left lower quadrant1 |
| Midline or center of the upper abdomen1 |
| Is there often an area where the pain is strongest (able to point with one or two fingers): |
| Right upper quadrant |
| Left upper quadrant |
| Right lower quadrant |
| Left lower quadrant |
| Midline or center of the upper abdomen |
| Highly variable and unable to predict one area |
| No |
| Experience discomfort in the right upper quadrant when bending forward? |
| Abdominal pain radiates from where it started? |
| If yes, where does it radiate most often? |
| Right upper back beneath the right shoulder blade |
| Upper back between the shoulder blades |
| Lower back |
| None of these places mentioned |
| Highly variable and unable to predict a dominant area |
| Estimate the number of pain attacks over the last 3 mo |
| Estimate the usual duration of a pain attack in hours and minutes |
| Experience urge to move around during a pain attack1 |
| Choose one of four patterns describing pain attacks (depicted by graphs): |
| Low-grade warning pain followed by a steady rise to a maximal constant pain, gradually getting better after a while |
| Low-grade warning pain followed by a steady rise to a maximal degree with occasional waves of pain, gradually getting better after a while |
| Pain begins suddenly with maximal intensity and improves over time |
| Pain begins suddenly with maximal intensity and persists with waves of pain until it goes away |
| Rate level of maximal pain intensity by 100 mm visual analogue scale score-scale |
Pain attacks are defined as suddenly appearing pain that is distinct from, and stronger than any continuous, steady pain or discomfort.
1
The pain occurrence in each area is rated as: not at all or rarely (less than 10% of the episodes), occasionally (less than 50% o the episodes), very often (more than 50% of the episodes) or almost always (more than 80% of the episodes).