A pain scale that measures quality of life, not pain!

THE PAIN CHRONICLE – Understood. That’s how many chronic pain sufferers feel following the validation of The American Chronic Pain Association‘s Quality of Life Scale, which “kicked its sidekick to the curb,” according to Cathy M, a Detroit (MI) resident who has been fighting chronic back pain for more than 12 years as a result of a car accident.

“The typical pain scale physicians use never made sense to me,” says Cathy M. “How could it, if your pain level remains nearly the same for days, weeks and years. Seriously?”

The ACPA’s Sliding Pain Scale provides an alternative the typical sliding pain scale with a system that benchmarks chronic pain patients’ progress. Originally introduced in 2019, the scale was recently validated by a study conducted in Prague, Czech Republic.

Quality of Life is increasingly being recognized as one of the most important parameters to be measured in the evaluation of medical therapies, including those for pain management, according to Dr. Nathanial Katz, the head of Harvard’s Medical School Pain Trials Center and ardent advocate of symptom distress scales.

The American Chronic Pain Association Quality of Life Scale looks at ability to function, rather than at pain alone. It can help people with pain and their health care team to evaluate and communicate the impact of pain on the basic activities of daily life, according to (insert source), who notes the information provides a basis for more effective treatment through the measurement of progress over time.

“This leads to better conversations and pain management strategies, says (insert source). And for individuals with chronic pain, the implications can ultimately be lifechanging.