Detailed Pain Assessment

When a new client begins working with you, he or she may come to you experiencing pain in one or more areas.  During your initial assessment, an easy way to formulate a detailed pain assessment is as simple as remembering O-P-Q-R-S-T.  If you know your alphabet, you can do this assessment.

"O" stands for onset of symptoms - when did the symptoms start? Is it an acute, subacute or chronic condition? Was it a slow or sudden onset?
"P" stands for properties of symptoms - What makes your symptoms better or worse?
"Q" stands for quality of symptoms - Type of pain...dull ache, sharp stabbing, shooting, etc...
"R" stands for radiating - Is it local or diffuse?
"S" stands for score - How does the pain rate on a scale from 0-10 where 0 is nothing and 10 is "get me to the emergency room!"
"T" stands for timing of symptoms - Is it constant or intermittent?

Answering these questions during an initial assessment and on subsequent sessions will provide you with a guidance system on whether your client is improving or not.  It will also help you to advise your client on what activities may be beneficial and which are detrimental.