What Is PainScale? (Information for Health Care Professionals)

By: Kirin Escher, MD

The PainScale (PS) mobile app is an easy-to-use pain diary aimed at helping individuals with chronic pain manage their pain journey in one accessible location. Created with input from physicians and individuals living with chronic pain, PS allows users to track factors associated with their chronic pain, such as triggers, changes in mood and sleep, and effectiveness of treatments.

PainScale also provides users with personalized pain management education. Trusted content is available to help users understand their symptoms and better manage their condition. PainScale provides over 1,000 informative articles on health tips, exercises, treatment options, and other related information, such as meditation programs.

By providing insights from a community of other users who share their treatment information, PS helps individuals living with chronic pain discover various treatment options that may improve their condition.

PainScale features

• Pain logs
• Pain reports
• Insights
• Trusted content
• Daily health tips
• Apple HealthKit, Samsung Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit integration
• Reminders
• Care team communication
• Customization

Common chronic pain conditions of current PS users

• Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraine
• Neuropathy
• Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain/syndrome
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Arthritis
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

Pain logs

• Overall pain score
• Body map
• Triggers
• Symptoms
• Activity level
• Treatments
• Medications
• Mood
• Sleep
• Notes