Steps for Evaluating Chronic Pain

Chronic pain does not have one etiology or characteristic, making it a complex clinical problem to assess and address. Yet when pain is not carefully evaluated, it may remain poorly managed, reducing patients’ quality of life and increasing the risk of other health problems, such as depression. To properly identify the cause of the pain, which is necessary to determine the most appropriate management plan, a comprehensive patient evaluation is needed. This requires obtaining a patient’s medical history, focusing on the pain and its characteristics, as well as conducting a thorough physical examination.

Download this tip sheet below, which outlines what healthcare providers need to consider when performing these evaluations.

This tip sheet is a companion resource to the article Managing Chronic Pain in Older Adults: A Long-Term Care Perspective, which appeared in the December 2013 issue of Annals of Long-Term Care.