Brief Description
The Pain Numeric Rating Scale (PNRS) is a pain-screening tool. It is a unidimensional measure of pain intensity in adults, designed to help assess the extent of an individual's pain and improve communication regarding pain with health care providers. This scale can help guide the diagnostic process and track the progression of the pain. Respondents rate the intensity of their pain according to the time prompts listed (e.g., “how would you rate your pain RIGHT NOW”) on a scale from “No Pain” to “Worst Pain Imaginable.”
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
4
Age Range for Administration
18+, though research demonstrates children as young as 6 can complete this assessment as long as the child can count and has some concept of numbers (i.e., that 8 is larger than 4).
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Weekly
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The PNRS contains 4 questions scored on an 11-point Likert scale with values from 0 (“No Pain”) to 10 (“Worst Pain Imaginable”). A total score is calculated by summing the item responses and ranges from 0 to 40; higher scores are associated with higher levels of, or more intense, pain.
You can also look at each individual item and the scores for each item ranging from 0-10 can be interpreted as:
Score | Interpretation |
0-3 | Mild pain |
4-6 | Moderate pain |
7-10 | Severe pain |
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint utilizes the Pain Numeric Rating Scale from the VA (see PDF in link below). Typically, the PNRS scale is displayed as a line numbered from zero to ten.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 1-2 minutes
Pain and mental health conditions often share common symptoms, such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and difficulty concentrating. Addressing mental health concerns can help alleviate some of these symptoms and improve overall well-being.
Pain and mental health conditions can influence each other in a bidirectional manner. Experiencing chronic pain can lead to the development or worsening of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Conversely, pre-existing mental health conditions can heighten pain perception and sensitivity, intensifying the experience of pain.
Psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, can influence the perception and tolerance of pain. Heightened stress or emotional distress can amplify pain sensations, making it more challenging to manage or alleviate pain symptoms. By addressing these psychological factors, individuals may experience improved pain management outcomes.
One limitation of the NPRS is that it evaluates only 1 component of the pain experience and intensity, and therefore does not capture the complexity and idiosyncratic nature of the pain experience or improvements due to symptom fluctuations.
Citation
Link(s) to Relevant Articles/Further Resources:
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