Wong Baker Faces Pain Scale

The Wong Baker Faces Pain Scale combines pictures and numbers to allow pain to be rated by the
user. It can be used in children over the age of 3, and in adults. The faces range from a smiling
face to a sad, crying face. A numerical rating is assigned to each face, of which there are 6 total.

Numerical Rating Pain Scale

Perhaps one of the most commonly used pain scales in healthcare, the numerical rating scale
offers the individual in pain to rate their pain score. It is designed to be used by those over the age
of 9. In the numerical scale, the user has the option to verbally rate their scale from 0 to 10 or to
place a mark on a line indicating their level of pain. 0 indictates the absence of pain, while 10
represents the most intense pain possible.

The Numerical Rating Pain Scale allows the healthcare provider to rate pain as mild, moderate or
severe, which can indicate a potential disability level.

FLACC Scale -- Pain Assessment Tool

FLACC stands for face, legs, activity, crying and consolability. The FLACC pain scale was
developed to help medical observers to assess the level of pain in children who are too young to
cooperate verbally. It an also be used in adults who are unable to communicate.
The FLACC scale is based on observations made regarding the patients face, the position of their
legs, their actions, and whether they are calm or consolable. Zero to two points are assigned for
each of these 5 areas of observation.

The overall score is recorded as follows:

0 = Relaxed and comfortable

1-3 = Mild discomfort

4-6 = Moderate pain

7-10 = Severe discomfort/pain

By recording the FLACC score periodically, the medical personnel can gain some sense of
whether the patients pain is increasing, decreasing or stable.

CRIES Scale -- Pain Assessment Tool

The CRIES Pain Scale is often used in the neonatal healthcare setting. CRIES is an observer-rated
pain assessment tool which is performed by a healthcare practitioner such as a nurse or physician.
CRIES assesses crying, oxygenation, vital signs, facial expression, and sleeplessness. The CRIES
Pain Scale is generally used for infants 6 months old and younger.
COMFORT Scale for Pain Assessment
The COMFORT Scale is a pain scale that may be used by a healthcare provider when a person
cannot describe or rate their pain. Some of the common populations this scale might be used with
include:

children
cognitively impaired adults
adults whose cognition is temporarily impaired, by medication or illness
the learning disabled
sedated patients in an ICU or operating room setting

The COMFORT Scale provides a pain rating between 9 and 45.

McGill Pain Scale for Pain Assessment
The McGill Pain Questionnaire consists of groupings of words that describe pain. The person
rating their pain ranks the words in each grouping. Some examples of the words used are tugging,
sharp and wretched.

Once the person has rated their pain words, the administrator assigns a numerical score, called the
Pain Rating Index.