| Characteristic | Potential Elements |
| Temporal | Acute, recurrent or chronic Onset and duration Course and daily variation. |
| Intensity | Pain “On an average,” Pain “At its worst,” Pain “At its least,” Pain “At present” |
| Topography | Focal or multifocal or referred localized or generalized Superficial or deep. |
| Quality | Nature of pain (e.g., aching, throbbing, stabbing, or burning). Familiar or unfamiliar. |
Acute vs. Chronic Pain
| Acute Pain | Chronic Pain | |
| Temporal features | Recent onset and expected to last no longer than days or weeks. | Remote, often ill–defined onset; duration unknown. |
| Intensity | Variable | Variable |
| Associated affect | Anxiety may be prominent when pain is severe or cause is unknown; sometimes irritability. | Irritability or depression |
| Associate pain–related behaviors | Pain behaviors, e.g., moaning, rubbing, splinting, may be prominent when pain is severe. | May or may not give any indication of pain |
| Associate features | May have signs of sympathetic hyperactivity when pain is severe, e.g., palpitation, hypertension, sweating. | May or may not have vegetative signs, such as listlessness, anorexia, weight loss, insomnia. |