Which pain scale uses descriptors and no numbers?

Which pain scale uses descriptors and no numbers?

• A. Visual rating scale
• B. Number scale
• C. Visual analog scale
• D. Graphic rating

Answer: (A)

Pain intensity can be captured in verbal, numeric, or visual forms. The visual rating scale communicates pain using words for levels of intensity—such as none, mild, moderate, and severe—with no numeric values attached. This makes it quick and easy for patients who prefer describing their experience with descriptors rather than counting or marking a line. Because the response is a category rather than a precise number, it provides ordinal information about how pain compares to other levels rather than an exact quantity. In contrast, numeric scales use numbers; visual analog scales involve marking a point on a continuous line (often without intermediate descriptors); and graphic rating scales rely on pictorial or other non-verbal cues. Therefore, the visual rating scale matches the idea of using descriptors and no numbers.

Pain intensity can be captured in verbal, numeric, or visual forms. The visual rating scale communicates pain using words for levels of intensity—such as none, mild, moderate, and severe—with no numeric values attached. This makes it quick and easy for patients who prefer describing their experience with descriptors rather than counting or marking a line. Because the response is a category rather than a precise number, it provides ordinal information about how pain compares to other levels rather than an exact quantity. In contrast, numeric scales use numbers; visual analog scales involve marking a point on a continuous line (often without intermediate descriptors); and graphic rating scales rely on pictorial or other non-verbal cues. Therefore, the visual rating scale matches the idea of using descriptors and no numbers.