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How to Measure Pain

  • Palliative Medicine (A Jatoi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Pain is a multi-faceted symptom. Effective pain assessment involves properly defining the pain syndrome, utilizing various assessment tools, and recognizing different conditions which may affect the expression and the management of pain.

Recent Findings

Pain results from multiple physical and psychosocial etiological interplay. It has traditionally been categorized as acute or chronic with chronic pain having been categorized further into 6 categories in ICD 11. At the same time, the opioid epidemic and the recent surge in cannabis popularity further complicates pain assessment and effective pain management.

Summary

Adequate management of pain begins with proper assessment including conducting extensive medical and psychosocial history and physical examination, and utilizing various pain and substance risk assessment tools. An interdisciplinary team approach may be more effective in managing complex pain behaviors compared to a solo approach.

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Author notes

  1. Michael Tang and Kimberson Tanco contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Unit 1414, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Michael Tang & Kimberson Tanco

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  1. Michael Tang
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  2. Kimberson Tanco
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Correspondence to Michael Tang.

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Tang, M., Tanco, K. How to Measure Pain. Curr Oncol Rep 23, 6 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-020-00999-4

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