Your doctor may also ask; • When was the onset of pain? • Has the pain occurred before? • What is the frequency of episodes of pain? • Is the pain sudden, rapid or gradual in onset? • What is the severity of pain? • What do you think causes the pain? • What do you do to relieve the pain? • What worsens the pain? • What are the characteristics of pain? Is it heavy, burning, aching, stabbing/cutting, throbbing, jolt-like, dull, gripping, pricking, or colicky? • Is it associated with fever, sweats, chills, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, loss of energy, or rectal bleeding?