Functional Pain Scale - Pain rating instructions - 0-5 scoring guide

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by asba

Functional Pain Scale provides step-by-step guidance for assessing whether a patient has pain, capturing the patient’s subjective rating as tolerable or intolerable, and determining how pain interferes with daily function. It links the pain rating and functional impact to a 0–5 score, where lower values indicate less severe pain and minimal interference. The instructions clarify that functional limitations apply only when caused by the evaluated pain, supporting consistent interpretation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Instructions

Pain presence and subjective rating

Pain interference with function

Rating chart (0-5)

Description for each score

Scoring guidance

Interpreting lower vs higher scores

Limits apply only if pain-caused

Source

FAQs

How should the patient’s pain be assessed using the Functional Pain Scale?

First ask whether pain is present. If pain exists, have the patient rate it subjectively as tolerable or intolerable, then determine how it interferes with function.

What do the scores 0 through 5 represent?

Score 0 means no pain. Scores 1–2 reflect tolerable pain with increasing interference, while scores 3–5 reflect intolerable pain with greater impact, including preventing telephone/TV/reading or verbal communication.

How is the final score determined and interpreted?

Combine the patient’s subjective pain rating with the objective determination of pain interference to produce a score on the 0–5 scale. Lower scores indicate less severe pain and less functional interference, and limitations should count only when caused by the evaluated pain.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by asba