A Bedside Chart Solution for Cancer Patients’ Pain

Results of a study showing that a simple pain scale can control or reduce cancer patients’ pain were published in Journal of Clinical Oncology .

The visual analog scale for pain has long been used, and this study demonstrated that it is genuinely effective for assessing and controlling cancer pain.

Related Topic:

• The importance of assessing a cancer patient’s pain

Pain affects almost half of people with cancer and approximately 80 percent of those with advanced cancer. This has adverse physical and emotional effects.

Researchers and doctors at the University of Edinburgh worked together to develop the Edinburgh Pain Assessment and Management Tool. Based on a simple traffic-light system, the materials needed to record pain levels and severity regularly are paper, a chart and a pen.

Yellow or red pain levels indicated moderate or severe pain, prompting doctors to review medications and side effects and monitor pain more closely.

However, assessing a patient’s pain does not necessarily require pen and paper. Our clinics have visual analog pain scales on which patients can indicate discomfort without even speaking.

Study details

This clinical trial examined pain levels in approximately 2000 cancer patients attending different regional cancer centers over five days.

Patients using this method reported less pain over this period than those receiving standard pain care. It should particularly be noted that using this visual pain scale did not increase painkiller doses.

Key Points in Cancer Pain Assessment

• Pain assessment should begin with a question from the physician or the patient’s oncology nurse , and
• time should be set aside for this issue to better monitor pain medications and their side effects

Related Topic:

• How is cancer pain treated?

In conclusion , using visual analog pain scales is a simple, effective approach that should be prioritized in cancer pain assessment and management. Future research into how these scales work could contribute further to pain management. Sometimes better medical outcomes can be achieved simply by adjusting current behaviors, without introducing a new drug.