Manages chronic pain through pain diary logging, pattern analysis, weather and activity correlation, and non-pharmacological intervention suggestions. Use when the user reports pain, wants to track pain patterns, or seeks pain management strategies.
Record structured pain entries with the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| date | Date of the entry (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| time | Time of the entry (HH:MM) |
| location | Body area using body map categories (head, neck, upper back, lower back, left shoulder, right shoulder, left arm, right arm, left hand, right hand, chest, abdomen, left hip, right hip, left leg, right leg, left knee, right knee, left foot, right foot) |
| intensity | Pain intensity on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) 0-10 |
| type | Pain quality: sharp, dull, burning, throbbing, stabbing, aching, tingling |
| duration | How long the pain has lasted (minutes, hours, days) |
| triggers |
| What triggered or worsened the pain |
| relief_measures | What was done to relieve the pain and whether it helped |
| medications_taken | Any medications taken (name, dose, time taken) |
| mood | Current mood (1-10 or descriptive: anxious, calm, frustrated, hopeful, etc.) |
| sleep_quality | Previous night's sleep quality (1-10, hours slept, interruptions) |
| activity_level | Activity level for the day (sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous) |
| notes | Any additional observations or context |
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | No pain |
| 1-3 | Mild - noticeable but doesn't interfere with activities |
| 4-6 | Moderate - interferes with some activities |
| 7-9 | Severe - significantly limits activities |
| 10 | Worst imaginable pain |
When recording pain, always ask the user to rate on this scale. If they use descriptive words, map them to the appropriate range and confirm.
Analyze pain diary entries to identify correlations and patterns across the following dimensions:
When enough data is available (minimum 7 days), generate pattern insights automatically. For robust analysis, recommend at least 30 days of data.
Calculate and present the following summary statistics:
Present trends as a simple text-based visualization:
Week of 2026-03-16:
Mon: ████████░░ 8/10 (flare)
Tue: ██████░░░░ 6/10
Wed: █████░░░░░ 5/10
Thu: ████░░░░░░ 4/10
Fri: ████░░░░░░ 4/10
Sat: ███░░░░░░░ 3/10
Sun: ███░░░░░░░ 3/10
Avg: 4.7 | Peak: 8 | Low: 3 | Days >5: 2
Suggest evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions based on pain type, location, and patterns:
| Category | Techniques |
|---|---|
| Heat/Cold | Heat pads (for muscle tension, stiffness), ice packs (for acute inflammation, swelling), contrast therapy (alternating heat/cold for circulation) |
| Movement | Gentle stretching, yoga (particularly yin or restorative), swimming/aquatic therapy, walking, tai chi |
| Mind-Body | Meditation (body scan, mindfulness), deep breathing (4-7-8 technique, box breathing), progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery |
| Manual | Self-massage, foam rolling, tennis ball release (trigger points), lacrosse ball for plantar fascia |
| Lifestyle | Sleep hygiene (consistent schedule, dark/cool room), anti-inflammatory diet (omega-3s, turmeric, reduce processed foods), stress reduction, ergonomic adjustments |
| Other | TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), acupuncture (professional referral), CBT for pain (cognitive behavioral therapy), biofeedback |
When suggesting interventions:
When a user reports a pain flare (sudden increase of 3+ points or pain >7/10), guide them through a structured response:
PEACE Protocol (Acute Phase - First 1-3 Days)
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Protect | Reduce movement or loading of the painful area to a tolerable level. Avoid complete rest. |
| Elevate | If applicable, elevate the affected limb above heart level. |
| Avoid anti-inflammatories initially | In the first 48 hours, inflammation is part of healing. Avoid NSAIDs unless advised by a physician. |
| Compress | Use compression bandages if swelling is present. |
| Educate | Understand that most flares are temporary. Reassure that flares do not necessarily mean damage. |
LOVE Protocol (Recovery Phase - After Day 3)
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Load management | Gradually reintroduce normal activities. Listen to the body but avoid fear-avoidance behavior. |
| Optimism | Maintain a positive but realistic outlook. Pain flares are a normal part of chronic pain management. |
| Vascularisation | Gentle cardiovascular exercise (walking, cycling, swimming) to promote blood flow and healing. |
| Exercise | Resume regular exercise gradually. Movement is medicine. Modify intensity if needed, but keep moving. |
Track how pain affects daily functioning across key life domains:
| Domain | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Sleep | Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking refreshed (rate 1-10) |
| Work | Ability to perform job tasks, missed work days, reduced productivity (rate 1-10) |
| Exercise | Ability to maintain exercise routine, modifications needed (rate 1-10) |
| Social activities | Participation in social events, isolation tendencies (rate 1-10) |
| Mood | Emotional wellbeing, presence of frustration, anxiety, depression (rate 1-10) |
| Daily tasks | Ability to perform ADLs (cooking, cleaning, dressing, driving) (rate 1-10) |
Calculate a Functional Impact Score (average of all domains, 1-10 where 10 = no impact). Track this weekly to measure quality of life trends alongside pain scores.
When recording a new pain entry, output a structured summary:
## Pain Entry - [DATE] [TIME]
- Location: [body area]
- Intensity: [score]/10 ([description])
- Type: [pain type]
- Duration: [duration]
- Triggers: [triggers]
- Relief measures: [measures taken]
- Medications: [medications]
- Mood: [mood] | Sleep: [quality] | Activity: [level]
- Notes: [notes]
At end of day or on request, provide:
Store daily entries in: daily/[YYYY-MM-DD].md under a ## Pain Diary section. Each entry is timestamped and appended throughout the day.
Maintain a cumulative record at: items/chronic-pain.md containing:
Update the master file weekly or when significant changes occur.
This tool is for informational and self-tracking purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified pain management specialist, physician, or healthcare provider.
If any of these are reported, immediately advise the user to call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not attempt to manage these situations through pain diary tracking.