Table 2 Characteristics of pain at 3, 6 and 12Â months following surgery
From: Prevalence and risk factors for chronic pain following cesarean section: a prospective study
|  | Pain at 3 months n = 92 | Pain at 6 months n = 55 | Pain at 12 months n = 32 |
|---|---|---|---|
Pain severity | |||
 Pain at rest in past week |  |  |  |
  NRS score (mean ± SD) | 2.7 ± 1.1 | 2.0 ± 1.2 | 1.4 ± 1.0 |
  No pain | 2 (2.2 %) | 12 (21.8 %) | 9 (28.1) |
  Mild pain (n, %) | 67 (72.8 %) | 40 (72.7 %) | 23 (71.9 %) |
  Moderate pain (n, %) | 23 (25 %) | 3 (5.5 %) | 0 |
  Severe pain (n, %) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Pain during movement in past week |  |  |  |
  NRS score (mean ± SD) | 4.4 ± 1.1 | 3.5 ± 1.3 | 2.4 ± 0.8 |
  Mild pain (n, %) | 19 (20.7 %) | 36 (65.5 %) | 31 (96.9 %) |
  Moderate pain (n, %) | 68 (73.9 %) | 17 (30.9 %) | 1 (3.1 %) |
  Severe pain (n, %) | 5 (5.4 %) | 2 (3.6 %) | 0 |
Analgesic required (n, %) | 25 (27.2Â %) | 10 (18.2Â %) | 7 (21.9Â %) |
Pain frequency (n, %) | |||
 Constantly | 16 (17.4 %) | 7 (12.7 %) | 1 (3.1 %) |
 Daily | 26 (28.3 %) | 9 (16.4 %) | 1 (3.1 %) |
 Several times/week | 27 (29.3 %) | 16 (29.1 %) | 10 (31.3 %) |
 Once a week | 17 (18.5 %) | 11 (20 %) | 13 (40.6 %) |
 Less than once a week | 6 (6.5 %) | 12 (21.8 %) | 7 (21.9 %) |
Main location of pain (n, %) | |||
 Area of incision | 41 (44.6 %) | 18 (32.7 %) | 8 (25 %) |
 Pelvis | 23 (25 %) | 20 (36.4 %) | 12 (37.5 %) |
 Low back | 12 (13.0 %) | 6 (10.9 %) | 6 (18.8 %) |
 Buttocks | 9 (9.8 %) | 7 (12.7 %) | 3 (9.4 %) |
 Legs | 7 (7.6 %) | 4 (7.3 %) | 3 (9.4 %) |