Author/Editor		Novak, Primož; Meh, Duška
Title		Ocenjevanje bolečine
Type		članek
Source		In: Burger H, Goljar N, editors. Ocenjevanje izida v medicinski rehabilitaciji. Zbornik predavanj 14. dnevi rehabilitacijske medicine; 2003 apr 4-5;. Ljubljana: Inštitut Republike Slovenije za rehabilitacijo,
Publication year		2003
Volume		str. 75-86
Language		slo
Abstract		Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage. The measurement of pain is important to determine pain intensity, quality and duration, to aid in diagnosis, to choose the type of therapy and to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy. When evaluating the effect of treatment, pain-relief can be assessed instead of absolute pain. The methods for pain assessment should be reliable (consistent), valid and useful (easy to and versatile). The most frequently considered aspects of pain are the subjective (self-report), the behavioral (observation and coding or rating of behavior) and the biological (sampling physiological or electrical potentials, assaying body fluids...). Pain is a personal psychological experience and the observer can play no part in its direct measurement. Therefore, self-report is the most appropriate aspect for assessment of pain, with the Visual Analogue Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire being the most commonly used methods. Visual Analogue Scale provides simple, efficient and minimally intrusive measures of pain intensity which can be used widely in clinical and research settings where a quick index of pain is required and to which a numerical index can be assigned. It is most commonly a 10-cm horizontal (or rarely vertical) line with the two points labeled "no pain" and "worst pain ever". The patient is asked to place a mark on the line at a point which corresponds to the level of intensity he or she presently feels. The distance in centimeters from the low end of the scale to the patient's mark is used as a numerical index of the severity of pain. It is short and easy to use if proper instructions are given to the patient. The major disadvantage is its assumption that pain is a unidimensional experience.
Descriptors		PAIN PAIN MEASUREMENT QUESTIONNAIRES