Abstract
The visual analogue scale (VAS) started to be used in psychological and sociological research already in the 1920s and served to measure various phenomena. It has been used to measure pain since the 1960s.
VAS is the most widely used method for the measurement not only of pain intensity, but also particularly pain-related, emotion, assessment and, potentially, other behavioral variables. This chapter describes various forms of pain intensity measurement, focusing on the VAS and its historical development.
In addition, the chapter describes the essential benefits, limits, positive and negative aspects of the VAS and its use in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this chapter is to indicate the success rate of this method in regards to the measurement of not only the sensory component where VAS remains the most commonly used method also in the 21st century, but also of other pain components.
Furthermore, the method has an irreplaceable position in the diagnostic and therapeutic process, particularly in cognitive behavioral therapy, but also within the scope of the entire interdisciplinary pain treatment team.