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Assessment of Patients with Neck Pain: The Most Valid Measurement Tools

Evgenia Petala, Dorothea Kapoukranidou, Kiriakou Christos

Several methods are proposed through literature to evaluate cervical pain. As a multi-dimensional phenomenon neck pain is associated to physical and psychological parameters which affect the measurements. A series of methods have been developed to measure pain such as questionnaires, diagnostic tests and devices. These tools are useful to evaluate the grade of pain but also to estimate the result of therapeutic interventions. The aim of this research is to present the most valid methods for the measurement of pain at the cervical area in adult population. Pain assessment includes pain scales, pain questionnaires, disability scales because of pain and pain devices. Because of the multi-dimensional nature of pain more than one method is used to have an integrated evaluation of the pain at the area of neck. The questionnaires, the scales and the devices which are used should be reliable, valid and there must be experience at their use. More research should be provided in order to strengthen the assessment of cervical pain.