Curtis et al used a behavioral pain scale (BPS) to monitor pain in an adult trauma patient. This can be used to determine the effectiveness of analgesia. The authors are the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Highland General Hospital in Oakland, California.
Parameters:
(1) facial muscles
(2) movements
(3) muscle tone
(4) vocalizations
(5) consolability
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
facial muscles |
relaxed |
0 |
|
|
tense, grimace, intermittent frown |
1 |
|
|
constant frown, clenched jaw |
2 |
|
movements |
relaxed, normal |
0 |
|
|
occasional restless movements, shifting position |
1 |
|
|
frequent to constant movements |
2 |
|
muscle tone |
relaxed |
0 |
|
|
increased tone, toes and/or fingers flexed |
1 |
|
|
rigid |
2 |
|
vocalizations |
normal |
0 |
|
|
occasional abnormal sounds (grunts, whimpers, cries) |
1 |
|
|
frequent or continuous abnormal sounds |
2 |
|
consolability |
relaxed |
0 |
|
|
easily reassured |
1 |
|
|
difficult to console |
2 |
total score =
= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 10
• A normal person free of pain would have a score of 0.
• The higher the score the greater the apparent pain.
• Effective analgesia would be a score < 4.
|
Total Score |
Pain Level |
|
0 |
none |
|
1 to 3 |
mild |
|
4 or 5 |
moderate |
|
6 to 10 |
severe |
Purpose: To monitor pain in a trauma patient using the behavioral pain scale (BPS) of Curtis et al.
Specialty: Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation
Objective: severity, prognosis, stage
ICD-10: R52.1, R52.2,
