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A dated, consistent pain log can help you explain what you feel, when it happens, what affects it, and how it changes your daily life. A notebook or phone note is enough; use the record to guide a conversation, not to diagnose yourself.
What to include in a pain and symptom log
Record an entry when pain occurs, or make a regular check-in if it is persistent. Keep it brief enough that you will continue using it. Include the details a clinician may ask about when assessing pain, such as its location, timing, quality, severity, relief, and effect on daily activities (MedlinePlus: Make the most of your doctor visit; MedlinePlus: Pain).
- Date and time: Note when it began, when it occurs, how often it happens, and how long it lasts.
- Location and movement: Identify where it hurts and whether it moves or appears in more than one area.
- Quality and severity: Describe the sensation in ordinary language, such as aching, burning, or sharp. If you rate severity, use the same scale each time; plain-language labels such as mild, moderate, or severe also work.
- Context and possible triggers: Note what you were doing around the time it began and anything that seems to make it better or worse. Record rest, activity, or other relief measures that appear relevant.
- Other symptoms: Include symptoms that happen alongside the pain.
- Medicines and side effects: Write down what you took or used, when you used it, and any unwanted effects.
- Daily impact: Describe changes to sleep, work, movement, or ordinary activities.
For example: “Tuesday, 8 a.m.—burning pain in my lower back after sitting; lasted about an hour; walking helped; sleep was interrupted overnight.” The point is to capture your experience and changes over time. The log does not identify the cause: a clinician may consider it alongside an examination and, when appropriate, tests (MedlinePlus: Pain).
Choose a tracking format you will keep using
Use a paper notebook, a printed diary, notes on your phone, or an email to your provider—MedlinePlus describes all of these as ways to keep and bring information (MedlinePlus: Make the most of your doctor visit). There is no need to buy a special journal or install an app. Choose what makes it easiest for you to record details consistently, keep the information private enough for your comfort, and bring or share it at the appointment.
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- TRACK YOUR PAIN (WITH FEMALE BODY DIAGRAMS): Track speed of onset, type of pain, severity and timing.
- MOOD TRACKER: Rate how your pain is affecting your mood on a scale from 1 to 10.
- SUSPECTED TRIGGERS & RELIEF MEASURES: What do you think caused/aggravates your pain and what makes it better?
- OTHER/ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS: e.g. nausea, vomiting, stiffness.
- SLEEP, MENTAL CLARITY, ENERGY LEVEL AND STRESS LOGS: Your pain can affect every aspect of your life (and vice versa), and you can track it all here.
If you want to see how pain relates to activity and relief, an activity diary can add what you were doing, pain level, medication, and other relief measures. Cambridge University Hospitals describes a one-week activity diary as a way to review variation by activity, mood, time of day, and pain relief (Cambridge University Hospitals: Occupational Therapy – Activity Diary guidance).
Some NHS App users may have an option to record symptoms and share them with their health care team, but it depends on the GP surgery or hospital; it is not available to every user (NHS App help: Record your symptoms).
Prepare what to bring and ask
Before the appointment, gather the notes and information that will help make the conversation specific. NHS and MedlinePlus guidance recommends preparing questions, medicine details, and relevant records rather than relying on memory alone (NHS: What to ask your doctor or other healthcare professional; MedlinePlus: Make the most of your doctor visit).
- Bring your log. Mark the most important changes or a few examples that show how the pain behaves.
- Prioritize questions. Write down the two or three concerns you most want addressed, so they are not lost during the visit.
- List everything you take. Include prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements, with doses if known. Note side effects.
- Gather relevant history. Bring pertinent medical information and reports or letters from earlier tests or treatment if you have them.
- Choose a practical goal to discuss. For example, you might want to sleep better or walk for a particular period. A pain clinic lists functional goals as useful appointment preparation (Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust: Pain Clinic).
Make the most of the conversation
Describe what has happened as accurately as you can, including uncertainty; you do not need to interpret the symptoms or decide what caused them. Ask the clinician to explain anything that is unclear. Take notes, or consider bringing someone who can help you listen and remember. Before you leave, check what the next steps are, when to expect results, and whom to contact if symptoms worsen or questions come up (NHS: What to ask your doctor or other healthcare professional; MedlinePlus: Make the most of your doctor visit).
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