J Orofac Pain
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The McGill Pain Questionnaire is an instrument that is widely used to assess the multidimensional experience of pain. Although it was introduced more than 20 years ago, limited information is available about its use in patients suffering from persistent facial pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the response patterns of persistent facial pain patients to the McGill Pain Questionnaire, to correlate these patterns with patients' beliefs about the seriousness of the condition, and to compare the findings with data reported from other painful conditions. ⋯ Differences were also found in the choice of specific pain descriptors. More than 20% of the facial pain patients selected "radiating" and "pressing"; this was not the case for those suffering from other pain conditions. Facial pain patients who felt that their condition was more serious or different from what the treatment providers had told them had a greater likelihood of choosing specific word categories of the McGill Pain Questionnaire.