Pain comes in many forms. There is more to pain than just its intensity, there is also a quality to pain.
Think of the different ways it is described: Stabbing, aching, itching, deep, surface, tooth ache, electric etc.
A recent study used the example of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome to investigate these qualities of pain. The results were interesting.
Pain intensity alone did not determine the amount of dysfunction the subjects suffered. They found that the quality of pain was an important variable and that pain described as "throbbing" and "itching" were the two most likely to cause disrupted sleep and disability.
Given the wide number of ways the pain of osteoarthritis is reported, it is likely this needs to be considered when treating this condition.
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