Description of the Questionnaire

The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) is a validated and reliable tool for pain assessment. It is widely used in clinical practice and research as it allows for a multidimensional recording of the patient’s pain experience. The questionnaire includes verbal descriptors that evaluate both the sensory and affective dimensions of pain, offering a more comprehensive picture of the phenomenon.

Data Analysis and Use

The questionnaire consists of eleven verbal descriptors for the sensory dimension and four for the affective dimension. Patients are asked to rate each descriptor on a four-point scale: 0 (none), 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe). Additionally, it includes a Present Pain Intensity (PPI) index scored from 0 to 5, and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of 10 centimeters to assess overall pain intensity. The scoring yields three components: the sensory component, the affective component, and the total Pain Rating Index (PRI Total), which reflects the overall pain burden.

Purpose

The purpose of the SF-MPQ is to capture pain in a way that reflects both its intensity and quality. It supports understanding how pain affects the patient’s life, facilitates the comparison of different therapeutic interventions, and enables the monitoring of pain progression over time. It is a valuable tool for informed decision-making in both research and clinical settings.

Scoring

To assess total pain, the scores from the 15 verbal descriptors are summed. The Present Pain Intensity (PPI) ranges from 0 (no pain) to 5 (excruciating pain). The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is scored in millimeters: 0–4 mm indicates no pain, 5–44 mm mild pain, 45–74 mm moderate pain, and 75–100 mm severe pain. The combination of these three assessment methods provides a clear and quantifiable view of the patient’s pain experience.

References

Melzack, R. (1987). The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Pain, 30(2), 191–197. Georgoudis, G., Watson, P.J., & Oldham, J.A. (2000). The development and validation of a Greek version of the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire. European Journal of Pain, 4, 275–281. http://algologia.org/pdf/Main/EEAS/SF_MPQ_Greek.pdf