Hyperbole and a Half's pain scale

[urocyon]

The best graphic pain chart EVER.

I'm glad nobody has ever shown me the one photographed in the ER. If I am in enough pain to actually go and try to get someone to do something about it, and they try to get me to point at that disaster, I might bite them. Seriously.

The numeric scales have always given me problems, unclear as it is what the numbers are supposed to refer to: 10 as the worst pain you've ever experienced, the kind of pain you'd imagine from getting limbs caught in farm machinery or a bus on top of you, or what? Some clarification would be good. Not to mention all the differences in individual perceptions.

One drawback to even the rather hilarious new scale: unless I'm actively throwing up and/or screaming (directly after orthopedic surgery or the like), outwardly it's not going to look higher than a 3 or 4. Yeah, this has worked to my disadvantage, a lot (**); then there's the lack of pissing and moaning.

I guess the ratings should correspond to how you're feeling on the inside. If there's enough perceived disconnect there, that can still prove interesting!

Comments

[phoneutria_fera]

I have trouble rating pain at all, or even perceiving where I feel pain. Numeric charts don't work for me at all, but I doubt a graphic one would.

[polemista]

Bwahahahaha!!

[randomeducation.livejournal.com]

I could relate to the 'too serious for numbers' bit:)