New Breast Pain Chart for Objective Record of Mastalgia

Abstract

Mastalgia is the commonest affliction of mammary gland among ladies of the reproductive age group. Since etiopathogenesis and therapy are different for cyclical and noncyclical pain, it is imperative to ascertain the exact type correctly. This is usually done in the breast clinics by advising the patient to fill a pain diary over a period of 2 months over two menstrual cycles. The Cardiff pain chart records the severity of pain in the form of a triangle for mild to moderate pain and a square for severe pain. Moreover, Cardiff pain chart does not allow a patient to record the severity of pain on days of menses, as she has to put the letter “P” in the box. These problems have been resolved in the new breast pain chart. In the new pain chart, the lady records pain severity in the form of visual linear analogue scale score on every day of menstrual cycle. She enters her menstrual experience on a separate part of chart, which allows us to visualize the full month’s pain severity in an uncluttered way.