Neuropathic Pain Scale

The Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) was developed in 1997 by Bradley Galer and Mark Jensen as the first tool specifically designed to evaluate different pain qualities associated with neuropathic pain. It is used to determine if pain is primarily neuropathic or non-neuropathic and to monitor responses to treatment.

The NPS includes 10 items. Eight evaluate the quality of the neuropathic pain, while the last two evaluate pain dimensions (intensity and discomfort). The NPS evaluates these measurements of pain on a scale from one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten being the highest. The complete list of items evaluated in the NPS are as follows:

1. Intensity
2. Sharpness
3. Hotness
4. Dullness
5. Coldness
6. Sensitivity
7. Itchy
8. Unpleasantness
9. Intensity of Deep Pain
10. Intensity of Surface Pain

The maximum is 100 points. Higher totals mean worse neuropathy pain. The NPS also evaluates the time quality of a person’s pain, indicating the duration of and how often they feel pain.

Additional sources: ScienceDirect, Neurology, and Oxford Academic