How helpful is the pain scale?

​Doctors often ask what our pain score is on a scale of 1-10. But is the pain scale a true measure of our pain? And is it helpful?

I contend we're more than a pain number. We're humans with feelings, emotions, and social interactions. A number on a pain intensity scale doesn’t capture our struggle with pain. And it’s often the struggle with pain that is worse than the pain itself.

Below is a research article that explore is asking us about pain tolerance might be more helpful than asking for a pain score. I hope you enjoy reading it.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2764594

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