This scale can be used with patient as young as 6 years of age. It uses a line with words to describe pain intensity from “no pain” to “worst possible pain”. Show and explain the scale to the patient and then ask him or her to point (or mark) anywhere along the line that shows how much pain they have. To find a number for documentation count the black dots, starting with zero at the far left, to the area where the patient points, up to ten at the far right.