Describe your 10/10 pain. Piggybacking off of recent pain discussions.

[0.adamantite]

I have felt 10/10 pain. I had a medical procedure that was incredibly painful, awake and unmedicated. Being a nurse, I wanted to be tough. I closed my eyes, gripped the table, moaned, clenchedd my teeth, every muscle in my body tensed and had "tunnel vision" if I opened my eyes. Sounds also seemed distorted. All I could focus on was the horrific pain. As the nurses and doctor asked me questions I could only get out one-word answers.

When the procedure was over, they encouraged me to rest, but I wanted to be tough. So I got up and had a vasovagal response to the pain. My blood pressure dropped, my hands and feet went cold yet my core felt like I was feverish. I was so pale my lips were ghostly white. I got dizzy and felt as close to blacking out as I have ever been in my life. I was rushed back to bed and had to remain for extra time to recover.

I know everyone reacts differently to pain, but when someone says their finger pain is 10/10, while sitting upright calmly in bed, it makes me wonder. But then again, I am not someone used to pain. Do you think people misunderstand the pain scale? Do you think the 10/10 is over used?

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I think most people actually think in terms of "little, medium, a LOT" of pain. And usually my pain med orders also reflect that (x for moderate pain, y for severe pain). I also think that patients worry about being properly medicated NOW to provide good pain relief for the pain that is on its way back but hasn't really arrived yet.

I'm really aggressive with treating pain but I hate the pain scale. It's so subjective I don't find it terribly useful. One patient with 7/10 pain just wants Tylenol, another wants the morphine. Just tell me how bad it is and if you need the big guns or something lighter.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I think most people actually think in terms of "little, medium, a LOT" of pain. And usually my pain med orders also reflect that (x for moderate pain, y for severe pain). I also think that patients worry about being properly medicated NOW to provide good pain relief for the pain that is on its way back but hasn't really arrived yet.

I'm really aggressive with treating pain but I hate the pain scale. It's so subjective I don't find it terribly useful. One patient with 7/10 pain just wants Tylenol, another wants the morphine. Just tell me how bad it is and if you need the big guns or something lighter.

THIS!!!

To add: I have used description mild moderate, severe across the scale for my adults and older adults to make it more "personal" in my opinion; I also assess for non-verbal cues as well; there are also more likely to let me know what they want; sometimes they go just for the Tylenol...

I even hate the pain scale as a pt; I rather say mild, moderate severe; most of the time I'm showing up in the ER because the pain is severe; it's beyond Tylenol, Alieve, and/or Motrin, or the Excedrin....

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

Luckily I have never experienced 10/10 pain. Maybe a 6/10 when I slam my toe into the door and can't breathe for a few minutes. That's about it. I also have a high pain tolerance.

Oh wait, I lied. 8/10 is my worst. Right before my ear drum ruptured from an infection. It was AWFUL. I was lying in bed crying because I hurt so badly and it just kept intensifying. It might make me seem like a weenie but that was seriously the most painful thing I have ever gone through. Never once crossed my mind to go to the ER, although now when I feel an ear infection coming on I hit up my ER docs for antibiotics. For some reason ear infections with me come on hard and fast, if I don't get on antibiotics within 24 hours, pop goes my tympanic membrane.

[RhetoricalQuestion]

Post menisectomy pain was 7/10 at the worst when the numbing wore off and I woke up from sleep with my pain meds also having been warn off. Teary eyed, body tensed, all that good studd.

First birth was 10/10 when my daughter was posterior and broke my tail bone on exit. Legitimate back labor as she pressed against my spine in her awkward position for a few hours before breaking my coccyx. I didn't feel my tail bone break, yet I was unmedicated. I was too focused on the pain of her pressing on my back.

Second birth had moments of 8/10. A+++ would birth again. Nuchal arm and all. Just don't go posterior on me.

[TheGooch]

Post menisectomy pain was 7/10 at the worst when the numbing wore off and I woke up from sleep with my pain meds also having been warn off. Teary eyed, body tensed, all that good studd.

I had a menisectomy and the post op pain was horrible. Nothing helped it. Out of all the surgeries I've had I'd say the post op pain from that was the worst.

[RhetoricalQuestion]

It was pretty bad! I was a little upset my doctor had only prescribed T3s when I really needed something more at least for the first two days post-op. I'm quite opiate niave, mind you. And I throw up easy.

... That's probably why I only had T3s. Nevermind

[sunnynurse36]

I always give my patients there meds, I have chronic pain yet I manage to work 40+ hours and no one every knows I'm in pain. It's my patients pain and if I have a order for why not give it..