MEDICAL SEMIOLOGY OF PAIN

Abstract

Pain is a universal and complex human experience that challenges clinical practice due to its subjective nature. This study aims to analyze the main scientific contributions to pain assessment, with an emphasis on the semiological approach. This is a narrative literature review, conducted in the SciELO, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases, which resulted in the selection of eight scientific articles. The findings indicate that the patient's subjective narrative should be recognized as the legitimate starting point for any pain assessment, complemented by validated tools ranging from unidimensional scales to multidimensional and behavioral instruments. An important gap is identified between the available scientific knowledge and its application in clinical practice, evidenced by low adherence to protocols and predominantly superficial assessment. It is concluded that the semiology of pain needs to integrate technical rigor and human empathy, valuing qualified listening as the first therapeutic act.