Contemporary Approaches to Pain Assessment Methodologies

Introduction. Pain is a widespread medical issue that can lead to prolonged disability. Most studies assessing pain have relied on subjective evaluation methods; however, to accurately determine pain intensity, monitor treatment efficacy, and track the progression of chronic pain syndromes, objective and reliable assessment techniques are essential. The aim of this study is to generalize the most objective quantitative methods for analyzing chronic pain. Materials and methods. The present review provides an analysis of international and domestic scientific publications focusing on contemporary methods of pain diagnosis. The literature search was conducted in open-access electronic databases, including PubMed and eLibrary. The primary selection criteria were the relevance of the information presented in the analyzed publications and their publication date, as this study emphasizes research conducted within the last decade. This article provides an analysis and the synthesis of the findings of existing studies to identify key trends and patterns in the field of pain diagnostics. Results. Instrumental techniques for assessing the severity of pain syndrome are described, including algometry and neurophysiological methods, particularly electromyography. The potential application of electroencephalography for the objective evaluation of pain is also discussed. The use of somatosensory and laser-evoked skin potentials appears promising. The capabilities of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography in the study and diagnosis of pain are presented. A number of potential biochemical markers of pain syndrome are described – substances whose elevated concentrations reflect pain intensity, such as proinflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases. Several compounds influencing the function of both the central and peripheral nervous systems may be considered promising biomarkers for the objective quantification of pain. Discussion and conclusion. The expansion and standardization of novel approaches to the quantitative assessment of pain syndromes will facilitate early diagnosis, enable the monitoring of pain progression, and provide an objective evaluation of therapeutic efficacy.