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McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) . Similarly, they describe MPQ as a tool
that consists of three main measures: pain-rating index, the number of words
chosen to describe pain and the present pain intensity based on a 1-5 inten-
sity scale. Specifically, the MPQ is administered by reading a word list to pa-
tients, and asking them to choose only those words that describe their pain at
present. Pain scores are then calculated by summing the rank scores for each
category [25].
In addition, several other aspects should also be taken into serious consideration
when assessing a patient in pain, such as his/her pain history in order to identify how
pain has developed in time and which has already been described, and pain location ,
something that can be measured by using a specific tool called pain drawings , and
which we are going to describe in more detail in the following discussion. By doing
so, the opportunity for a better understanding of pain and the factors influencing it
will be granted, resulting in more effective assessment, and subsequently better treat-
ment options.
C) Pain location
In addition to collecting pain intensity and affect related medical information, the
patient is also asked to mark on a diagram, usually a two-dimensional representation
of a human body, where the pain is located , and the type of pain that he or she is suf-
fering from. This type of diagram is known in the literature as a “pain drawing” and it
is shown in fig. 6.
Fig. 6. A sample Pain Drawing
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