An 11-point numeric rating scale is a simple tool that tells us the patient’s perceived intensity of pain. Patients are given a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Other anchors, such as ‘worst pain I’ve experienced’, can be used – just be sure to use the same anchor every time. This is different for every patient and should not be used to compare between patients. However, it is a very good tool to assess response to treatment – at least a 2-point change in the scale is considered clinically meaningful

RatingPain Level
0No Pain
1 – 3Mild Pain (nagging, annoying, interfering little with ADLs)
4 – 6Moderate Pain (interferes significantly with ADLs)
7 – 10Severe Pain (disabling; unable to perform ADLs)

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