Table 3.
Useful questions to ask patients to help assess their wound pain experiences
| Pain assessment | Questions | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Where is the pain located: | The localisation of the pain is the first step in determining the cause of the pain and directing appropriate investigations and treatments |
| In the wound bed? | ||
| In the area surrounding the wound? | ||
| Another location in the region of the wound? | ||
| Is the pain unrelated to the wound? | ||
| Duration | How long has the pain been experienced? | A change in the pain suggests the need for a reassessment |
| Is the pain persistent? (At rest or with activities?) | ||
| Is the pain temporary? (Procedurally, at dressing change, during cleansing and debridement) | ||
| Intensity | How strong is chronic wound pain on a scale from 0 to 10? | Pain is subjective and should be treated based on the patient’s symptoms. Pain measurement scales should be used to monitor the development of pain and the patient’s response to treatment |
| 0 = no pain, 10 = worst pain | ||
| Quality | Ask the patients to describe their wound pain. Is it: | It is important to match the treatment of pain to its characteristics; many patients may have both nociceptive and neuropathic pain |
| Aching, throbbing, gnawing, tender (nociceptive) | ||
| Burning, stinging, shooting, stabbing (neuropathic) | ||
| Increased or new onset of pain | Reassess: Has the wound changed? Increased size or other signs and symptoms (increased inflammation, infection, cellulitis, etc.) | If the wound is painful and has signs of critical colonisation/infection, it is important to treat the cause |
| Activities of daily living | Is there anything you do that makes your pain better or worse? | Effective wound pain management involves activities of daily living |
| How does the patients’ chronic wound pain interfere with their: | ||
| Usual activities | ||
| Sleep | ||
| Ability to move around | ||
| Appetite | ||
| Mood |