Your Doctor may ask you to keep a Pain Diary. Why? Many patients keep a journal of their daily activities and how their pain changes with activities. Many patients say that it has helped them to better understand the relationship between their activities and pain. It has been used as a venting out tool for some patients as well. When we see our doctors we want to tell them how much better or worse our pain has become since we last saw them. The pain diary is a good tool to demonstrate that. It should be looked at more as an information tool than a healing tool. Although many of patients feel more in control by learning from their Pain Diary about their activities and pain relationship, it’s effect on improving pain has not been proven by research. But it can help you and your doctor to objectively understand how your activities may relate to the severity of your pain. Then based on that information, decisions can be made about changing activities or pain treatments. If you decide to do it, be aware that it is only valuable if you stay consistent in doing it on a regular basis. Try it an see if it can help you.
