Pain and discomfort in mammography

This chapter enables readers to learn the basics of what pain is, and how it may be distinct from discomfort. The importance of using validated measures to assess or investigate pain is emphasised, and some examples are provided. The chapter provides an overview of current evidence on how important pain is in mammography, both in terms of the extent and severity of pain experienced among clients, and in terms of the potential for pain to reduce participation in mammography. Factors that affect whether or how much pain is experienced during mammography are discussed. Interventions that have been shown to be effective in reducing mammographic pain are briefly reviewed. While there may be a shortage of formal interventions that have been shown to be effective, the chapter enables practitioners to identify some of the steps they can take to minimise pain and discomfort for their clients.