SUBJECTIVE EXAMINATION AND PAIN HISTORY TAKING

Abstract

Subjective examination forms the foundation of clinical assessment in physiotherapy and pain management, guiding diagnosis, clinical reasoning, and treatment planning. It involves a structured, patient-centred interview through which the clinician gathers information regarding the patient's presenting complaint, body chart, behaviour and pattern of symptoms, history of the present condition, past medical history, and relevant psychosocial factors. Pain history taking, a critical component of this process, explores the onset, site, character, severity, aggravating and easing factors, and the temporal pattern of pain, alongside screening for red and yellow flags. Effective subjective examination not only assists in generating diagnostic hypotheses but also strengthens the therapeutic alliance and facilitates a biopsychosocial understanding of the patient's condition. This chapter discusses the principles, components, communication strategies, and standardised tools used during subjective examination and pain history taking, emphasising their role in evidence-based, patient-centred clinical practice.