AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
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AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
Pain Assessment Tools in Toolkit
Name Use Scoring Description Location
Brief Pain
Inventory
(BPI) Short
Form
Assess pain severity
and impact on daily
function
• Worst pain score: 1-4 = mild pain
• Worst pain score: 5-6 = moderate pain
• Worst pain score: 7-10 = severe pain
Pain severity can be calculated by
averaging responses of questions 3-6.
Pain interference can be calculated by
averaging responses of questions 9a-9g.
Fillable PDF completed in
approximately five minutes
with the patient
Jump to tool in toolkit.
Pain,
Enjoyment
of Life and
General
Activity
(PEG) Scale
Assess pain
interference with
enjoyment of life and
general activity
• Mild pain = 0-11 or 0 to <4
•
Moderate pain = 12-20 or 4 to <7
• Severe pain = 21-30 or 7-10
PEG score is calculated by an average of
questions 1-3
Three-question assessment
of pain takes 1-2 minutes
Jump to tool in toolkit.
Additional Pain Assessment Tools
Numeric Pain
Rating Scale
(NPRS)
2
Rate pain intensity Scores range from 0-10 points, with
higher scores indicating greater pain
intensity.
Evaluates one aspect of
pain—intensity
Evaluates pain experienced
only in the past 24 hours
or “an average pain
intensity”
www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/
numeric-pain-rating-scale
Verbal Rating
Scale (VRS)
3
Describe pain intensity
Use when the NPRS
cannot be used
• No pain
• Mild pain
• Moderate pain
• Severe pain
Word options describe pain
intensity
www.oxfordclinicalpsych.com/view/10.1093/
med:psych/9780199772377.001.0001/med-
9780199772377-interactive-pdf-003.pdf
Wong-Baker
FACES
®
Pain
Rating Scale
4
Describe pain intensity
Used for children and
adults
Series of faces range from 0 for a happy
face (no hurt) to 10 for a crying face
(hurts worst)
Faces depict the pain the
patient experiences
Evaluates one aspect of
pain—intensity
https://wongbakerfaces.org/
McGill Pain
Questionnaire
(MPQ)
5
Assess quality and
intensity of pain
Monitor pain over
time and determine
effectiveness of
interventions
Scores are calculated by summing values
associated with each word
Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 78
(severe pain)
Numerical intensity scale
Set of descriptor words
and a pain drawing
www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/
mcgill-pain-questionnaire
For additional resources on assessment algorithms, visit the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement’s
guideline, Pain; Assessment, Non-Opioid Treatment Approaches and Opioid Management.
References
1. American Academy of Family Physicians. Imagining for low back pain. Choosing Wisely®. Accessed January 7, 2021. www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-
care/clinical-recommendations/all-clinical-recommendations/cw-back-pain.html
2. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Accessed January 7, 2021. www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/numeric-pain-rating-scale
3. Jensen MP. The 0-3 Verbal Rating Scale (VRS). Accessed January 7, 2021. www.oxfordclinicalpsych.com/view/10.1093/med:psych/9780199772377.001.0001/
med-9780199772377-interactive-pdf-003.pdf
4. Wong-Baker FACES Foundation (2020). Wong-Baker FACES® Pain Rating Scale. Accessed January 7, 2021. https://wongbakerfaces.org/
5. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. McGill Pain Questionnaire. Accessed January 7, 2021. www.sralab.org/rehabilitation-measures/mcgill-pain-questionnaire
AAFP Chronic Pain Toolkit
