This isn’t so relevant to me now as it’s nearly 10 years ago that I created it, but it’s interesting and helpful to look back and see what I came up with.

10 – Excruciating Pain

Description: Must attend to pain. Cannot manage to do anything except lie in bed. Probably crying from the pain. I cannot relax my muscles.

8 – Pain Is Difficult To Tolerate

Description: Pain is bad, but I can still do some very simple tasks that don’t require movement or concentration. Perhaps listen to the radio or a book on tape.

When the pain is this bad it’s impossible to keep my muscles relaxed, I can relax them but the minute I take my attention away they tense up. In this state I’m using almost all my energy ‘dealing’ with the pain.

6 – Pain Is Distressing

Description: Pain is fairly bad but I am able to keep on doing most things that are otherwise things I can do (eg no standing for more than a minute or two, etc). Can’t do things that need a lot of thinking, like maths.

In this state I’m using a fair bit of energy ‘dealing’ with the pain. I can be relaxed if I don’t have to move, but moving will make my muscles tense up again.

4 – Pain Is Discomforting

Description: Pain can be ignored if I have something distracting to do and can lie down in a relaxed position – eg good friend to talk to (lying in bed) or a TV show I really really enjoy (lying flat on sofa).

In this state I’m not using up a lot of energy ‘dealing’ with the pain, but am using some. I can stay relaxed as long as I pay attention to staying relaxed when I move.

2 – Pain Is Mild

Description: Only aware of pain when attention is brought to it.

In this state I still hurt, but I’m not really using much energy to deal with it and staying relaxed is automatic.

When: This happens hardly ever. Maybe for an hour or two a month?

0 – No Pain

Description: No pain at all.

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This article was originally published at Personalising The Randall Chronic Pain Scale and is copyright (C) Ricky Buchanan 2010. May be forwarded but do not republish without permission.