How to Describe Severe Neck Pain

Almost everyone experiences neck pain at some point in their life. Most find relief from relaxation techniques or a simple application of heat to alleviate the pain. Although the cause of neck pain varies and can be serious, the vast majority of neck pain is associated with stress and/or strained muscles. How the pain presents and how it responds to simple home treatment may provide clues to its origins. Explaining your symptoms to your doctor requires a detailed description of the pain and its response to home treatment.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Notebook/journal

1. Analyze your pain symptoms when you are experiencing the pain. It is difficult to describe symptoms accurately after the fact. Keep a journal and jot down the circumstances surrounding the onset of pain. Include any physical activity or any stressful events.

2. Describe the sensation of pain as concisely as possible. Your doctor needs to know where the pain begins, how long it lasts and how intense it is. Whether the pain is hot and searing, throbbing or a shooting pain that radiates to the jaw or the head is important information that assists you and your doctor in pinpointing the cause of the pain and subsequently beginning appropriate treatment.

3. Note the duration of the pain. Short bursts of pain may indicate an entirely different cause than a dull throbbing ache that lingers for days.

4. Evaluate the intensity of the pain. Your doctor may ask you to rate your pain on a scale from 1 to 10 with one representing the absence of pain and 10 representing the most intense pain. Think about this carefully and be as accurate as possible. Although the rating scale is subjective, it gives your doctor a good idea of the severity of the pain you are experiencing.

5. Take your notes with you to the doctor's visit. Even though you may think you will remember, it is easy to forget important details once you are in the doctor's office. Sharing your notes with the doctor encourages active communication and provides your doctor with the information he needs to determine the cause of your pain and prescribe treatment.