a scale such as the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) (Figure 3). 3,108 The DVPRS is a graphic tool with a numeric rating scale in which each pain level has descriptive word anchors, facial depictions of pain, and color coding that coincides with pain severity categories. The DVPRS also includes supplemental questions for general activity, sleep, mood, and level of stress. This or other numeric pain scales may be particularly useful for assessing pain in patients who have language deficits or other issues with communicating their experience of pain.
The PEG scale can be very useful in primary care or busy practices to assess pain, functioning, and quality of life. Self-Assessment Question 7 Which tool is an example of a numeric pain scale? a. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). b. The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). c. The Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity Scale (PEG). d. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
Figure 3: The Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale and Supplemental Questions
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Book Code: MDCO1025
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