pijntekeningen

Pijntekeningen are a diagnostic and evaluative tool in which patients mark areas of pain on a diagram of the human body. The purpose is to visualize the distribution, location, and sometimes intensity or quality of pain to inform diagnosis, treatment planning and monitoring over time. They are used across medical disciplines, including general practice, neurology, rheumatology and rehabilitation, as well as in psychology and pain research.

In practice, a clinician provides a blank body diagram, often showing front and back views or a simplified torso. The patient marks where pain is felt, and may indicate intensity through shading or color, describe the quality (such as dull, sharp, burning), specify whether pain radiates, and note onset or duration. For children, drawings may be simplified or accompanied by age-appropriate figures. Repeated drawings over successive visits can track changes in pain patterns and aid assessment of treatment effects.

Pijntekeningen support a range of applications: identifying focal versus diffuse pain, distinguishing musculoskeletal from neuropathic patterns, documenting changes after interventions, and contributing to research data on pain distribution. They are commonly used alongside other tools, such as numeric rating scales or the McGill Pain Questionnaire, to provide a more complete picture of the patient’s experience. They are particularly valuable when verbal communication is limited, as in pediatrics or cognitive impairment, or when assessing non-native speakers.

Limitations include subjectivity and variability in interpretation, potential cultural differences in expressing pain, and the risk of over- or underestimating severity. Pijntekeningen should be used as a supplement to clinical examination and diagnostic testing, not as a stand-alone diagnosis.