Visual analog scale for pain (VAS): what it is
Quick facts
- Acronym
- VAS, visual analog scale.
- Format
- A 10 cm line, from 'no pain' to 'worst pain imaginable', or a numeric ruler from 0 to 10.
- Who answers
- The patient, about the pain they feel at that moment.
- Use in HOF
- Record discomfort during the procedure and follow analgesia.
- Limitation
- A subjective scale that varies between people and between moments.
The visual analog scale for pain, the VAS, is a simple instrument for the patient to describe pain intensity. In the classic version, it is a 10 centimeter line: at one end is "no pain" and at the other "worst pain imaginable". The patient marks the point that matches what they feel, and the professional measures the distance. The numeric version asks for a number from 0 to 10.
How do you apply it in the office?
Explain what the ends of the scale mean, ask the patient to choose a point and record the value in the patient record. Do not suggest the number: the answer is theirs. It is most useful when applied at comparable moments, such as before anesthesia, during the injection and at the end of the procedure.
What does the VAS show in HOF?
In injectable procedures, it helps assess comfort during the injection and the effectiveness of measures such as topical anesthetic and associated lidocaine. It also serves to record pain after the procedure, when the complaint is relevant.
Pain out of proportion to what is expected, especially if intense and sudden during the injection, should not be treated as mere discomfort: it may be a sign of a vascular complication and calls for immediate attention.
Cautions in use
The VAS is subjective: the same stimulus gets different scores from different people. That is why it is better used to follow the same person over time. The record also supports the conversation about informed consent and the medical history at follow-ups.
In Harmy
The app does not measure or record pain. It is used to mark areas, set the ml and intensity, and generate the projection.
Also called: visual analogue pain scale.
Frequently asked questions
How does the patient use the VAS?
They mark on a line, or choose a number from 0 to 10, for the intensity of the pain they feel: 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain they can imagine.
Can the VAS be used to compare the pain of two patients?
It is not meant for that. It is more useful for comparing the pain of the same person at different moments, because each person interprets the numbers in their own way.