Pain evaluation of patients with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and low back pain

Authors

  • Amélia Pasqual Marques University of São Paulo; Faculty of Medicine; Department of Physiotherapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy; Service of Rheumatology
  • Lucianne Rhoden University of São Paulo; Faculty of Medicine; Department of Physiotherapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy; Service of Rheumatology
  • José de Oliveira Siqueira University of São Paulo; Faculty of Medicine; Department of Physiotherapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy; Service of Rheumatology
  • Silvia Maria Amado João University of São Paulo; Faculty of Medicine; Department of Physiotherapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy; Service of Rheumatology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0041-87812001000100002

Keywords:

Pain, Chronic pain assessment, Fibromyalgia, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Physical Therapy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare pain as reported by outpatients with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and low back pain, in view of designing more adequate physical therapy treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A Portuguese version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire - where subjects are asked to choose, from lists of pre-categorized words, one or none that best describes what they feel - was used to assess pain intensity and quality of 64 patients, of which 24 had fibromyalgia, 22 had osteoarthritis, and 18 had low back pain. The pre-categorized words were organized into 4 major classes -- sensory, affective, evaluative, and miscellaneous. RESULTS: Patients with fibromyalgia reported, comparatively, more intense pain through their choice of pain descriptors, both sensory and affective; they also chose a higher number of words from these classes than patients in the other groups and were the only ones to choose specific affective descriptors such as "vicious", "wretched", "exhausting", "blinding". CONCLUSION: Assuming that each disease presents unique qualities of pain experience, and that these can be pointed out by means of this questionnaire by patients' choice of specific groups of words, the findings suggest that fibromyalgia include not only a physical component, but also a psycho-emotional component, indicating that they require both emotional/affective and physical care.

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Published

2001-01-01

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Pain evaluation of patients with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and low back pain . (2001). Revista Do Hospital Das Clínicas, 56(1), 5-10. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0041-87812001000100002