How do you measure pain?

[Katie]

I'm always a bit confused about how to describe the 'pain levels' when asked at the doctor's office. What exactly is a 2 or a 9?

For women, or others who have had a serious accident, a broken leg, car accident, etc., it is a bit easier. For me, nothing beat child birth , and the second worst was when my horse jumped on my foot when I stupidly decided to get off and cross an icy creek and lead him across. He decided that if I was on that spot, then it was obviously safe, so he should be there too Compression pain after 1100 lbs lands on one foot is memorable.

I consider those a 10. But the sciatic pain that has left me crying on the floor is right up there too. The never ending lumbar pain from three herniated discs and compressed nerves has me saying that it's an 8 or so, and everyday pain goes from a 3 to an 8 depending on the level of pain meds.

I guess what I'm asking is whether you class pain like the earthquake scale, that is each level is multiplied by 10? Otherwise, how can you judge the difference between a 4 and a 5?? This has always bugged me. My husband, on the other hand, thinks a headache is a 10 most days (bless his wonderful big heart) and we're not talking migraine, we're talking caffeine withdrawal