The McGill Pain Questionnaire, also known as McGill Pain Index, is a scale of rating pain developed at McGill University by Melzack and Torgerson in 1971.[1] It is a self-report questionnaire that allows individuals to give their doctor a good description of the quality and intensity of pain that they are experiencing. The users are presented with a list of 78 words in 20 sections that are related to pain.[2] The users mark the words that best describe their pain (multiple markings are allowed). Among the words, sections of these words signify different components of pain, namely, Sensory (sections 1-10), Affective (sections 11-15), Evaluative (section 16), and Miscellaneous (sections 17-20).[1]
McGill Pain Questionnaire | |
---|---|
Synonyms | McGill Pain Index |
Purpose | scale to rate pain |
According to the European Medicines Agency it is the most frequently used measurement tool for multidimensional pain assessment in chronic pain.[3]
Group | Words |
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1 | Flickering, Pulsing, Quivering, Throbbing, Beating, Pounding |
2 | Jumping, Flashing, Shooting |
3 | Pricking, Boring, Drilling, Stabbing |
4 | Sharp, Cutting, Lacerating |
5 | Pinching, Pressing, Gnawing, Cramping, Crushing |
6 | Tugging, Pulling, Wrenching |
7 | Hot, Burning, Scalding, Searing |
8 | Tingling, Itchy, Smarting, Stinging |
9 | Dull, Sore, Hurting, Aching, Heavy |
10 | Tender, Taut (tight), Rasping, Splitting |
11 | Tiring, Exhausting |
12 | Sickening, Suffocating |
13 | Fearful, Frightful, Terrifying |
14 | Punishing, Grueling, Cruel, Vicious, Killing |
15 | Wretched, Blinding |
16 | Annoying, Troublesome, Miserable, Intense, Unbearable |
17 | Spreading, Radiating, Penetrating, Piercing |
18 | Tight, Numb, Squeezing, Drawing, Tearing |
19 | Cool, Cold, Freezing |
20 | Nagging, Nauseating, Agonizing, Dreadful, Torturing |