The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis and treatment.
When it comes to managing your pain, remember that you are in charge. If pain is preventing you from living life on your terms, it's time to refresh your approach — starting with how you track your pain. Remember, if your pain persists or gets worse, consult your doctor right away.
STEP 1: BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Advocating for yourself means taking charge of your pain so you can focus on living fully. Partner with your doctor by asking questions and describing what you are experiencing, whether your pain is acute or non-acute (chronic):
WHAT IS ACUTE PAIN?
Acute pain is sudden, lasts from a few minutes to a few weeks, and doesn’t last more than six months. It’s often sharp, stabbing, throbbing or intense pain caused by injury, illness, trauma or surgery, and typically dissipates when the underlying cause heals.
WHAT IS NON-ACUTE PAIN?
Non-acute pain, or chronic pain, often lasts longer than six months. It may be triggered by an injury, medical treatment, inflammation or illness, but lingers after recovery. Sometimes the cause of chronic pain is unknown, and environmental or psychological factors can make it worse.
STEP 2: TRACK YOUR PAIN
Among the many unknowns that come with living with pain, one certainty is that only you know how you feel. Keeping a daily pain journal can help you and your doctor track your pain over time and decide if you could be doing anything else to manage your pain effectively.
Everyone’s pain journal will look different, but tracking certain details can help you and your doctor identify pain triggers, patterns and more. Start with the date and a general pain score on a scale from 0-10. Then add detailed notes about:
- The time(s) you experienced pain and what you were doing
- What you ate and drank
- How you felt physically, emotionally and mentally that day
- Any elements that may affect your pain, such as the weather
- How you slept the night before
Be as granular as you can, and use descriptive words (aching, burning, stabbing, etc.).
STEP 3: LEARN FROM YOUR JOURNAL
After you’ve tracked your pain for at least a week, review your journal. Do you see any patterns? Is any important information missing? You can always add new prompts to your daily entries or create sections to track your observations or current pain-management methods.
STEP 4: UPDATE YOUR PAIN MANAGEMENT CARE PLAN
Think about your physical, personal and life goals. Defining these will help shape your pain management plan so you can talk to your doctor:
- Have you covered all the bases for pain medications (both prescription medications and OTC options and drug-free options?
- How about alternative medicine?
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- How are your stress levels? Stress can make pain worse, so taking the time to take care of yourself can help you manage pain.
References
International Association for the Study of Pain. Acute pain.
Cleveland Clinic. Acute vs. chronic pain.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Chronic pain and complementary health approaches.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Pain.
Southside Pain Specialists. If you don’t have a pain journal, start one now!
