Medical History to Assess Chronic Pain
Your doctor will obtain your medical history by asking
questions related to:
- Your general medical history, past illnesses, and
overall health.
- Your pain: how long it has lasted, whether you have
had it before, how it was treated, and what relieves your pain.
- Describe your pain: where, how severe, how
often?
- Do any movements or activities make it better or
worse?
- Do you have burning sensations, a pins-and-needles feeling,
or shooting pain?
- What medicines or other treatments have you
tried? Were they effective? Any side effects?
- Your family history of chronic pain: whether other
members of your family have had it and how it was
treated.
- Prescription and nonprescription medicines that you are
taking.
- Any history you have of alcohol or drug
dependence.
- Any complementary or alternative medicine therapies
that you are using or have tried including supplements, such as herbs.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Nancy Greenwald, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| Last Revised | January 20, 2011 |