title: The importance of assessing pain in adults.
abstract: Pain affects patients physically and emotionally, so successfully managing the pain they experience is a key component of their recovery. This third article in a series on pain looks at why it is important to assess pain in adults and how this can best be done. The causes and symptoms of chronic and acute pain are detailed, along with the different assessment tools that can be used and for which patients they are suitable.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swift
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control