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UW Health SMPH

Pain Rating Scale

A pain scale is a way for people to measure their pain so that doctors can help plan how best to control it. Most pain scales use numbers from 0 to 10: 0 means no pain and 10 means the worst pain the person has ever known or felt.

Use the list below to find the number that best describes your pain.

  • 0 = No pain
  • 1 to 4 = Mild pain
  • 5 to 7 = Moderate pain
  • 8 to 9 = Severe pain
  • 10 = Worst pain possible

Last Revised: September 13, 2012

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & David Messenger, MD

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