From the Research
For chronic pain evaluation, I recommend using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) as a primary assessment tool, as it has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of pain intensity and interference in daily life 1, 2, 3. The BPI effectively measures both pain intensity and functional interference on a 0-10 scale, covering key domains like general activity, mood, walking ability, work, relationships, sleep, and enjoyment of life. This questionnaire typically takes only 5-10 minutes to complete and provides a comprehensive overview of how pain affects the patient's daily functioning. Some of the key benefits of using the BPI include:
- It is a widely used and well-established tool for assessing chronic pain
- It has been shown to be reliable and valid in a variety of patient populations, including those with cancer and non-cancer pain 1, 2, 3
- It provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of pain on daily life, including physical and emotional functioning
- It can be used to track changes in pain over time and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment Other excellent options for chronic pain evaluation include:
- The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), which evaluates negative thought patterns about pain through 13 items measuring rumination, magnification, and helplessness
- The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire for back pain
- The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for arthritis pain
- The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) for fibromyalgia These tools are valuable because they provide objective measurements that help track treatment progress over time, facilitate better communication between patients and providers, and help identify psychological factors that may be contributing to pain perception and maintenance 4. Regular reassessment using these questionnaires can guide treatment adjustments and improve overall pain management outcomes.