How to Properly Track & Report Your Pain for Insurance Approval

How to Report Your Pain & Progress for Insurance Coverage

A Guide to Providing the Right Information for Treatment Approval

Why This Matters

Insurance companies require detailed and measurable information to approve ongoing treatment.

Saying “I feel better” is not enough—they need specific evidence of how treatment is improving your daily life.

This guide will help you track and report your progress the right way so that your insurance company has the necessary information to approve your care.

Step 1: Report Your Pain with Specific Details

✔ Don’t say: “My pain is getting better.”
✔ Instead, report:

• What is your pain level today? (Scale of 0-10)

• What is your pain level after treatment? (Scale of 0-10)

• How long does relief last after treatment?

• What activities still cause pain or discomfort?

Example Response:
"Before treatment, my pain was 8/10 all day. After treatment, it lowers to 5/10 and stays reduced for about 6 hours before coming back. I still have trouble standing for long periods."

Step 2: Describe How Pain Affects Your Daily Life

Insurance companies look for how pain limits your ability to function. Be clear and detailed.

✔ Don’t say: "I can walk better now."
✔ Instead, report:

• How long or how far can you walk before pain starts?

• Can you now do something that was too painful before?

• What daily activities (driving, sitting, sleeping, working) are still difficult?

Example Response:
"Before treatment, I could only walk 5 minutes before my pain became unbearable. Now, I can walk for 15 minutes, but pain returns when climbing stairs."

Step 3: Track How Long Pain Relief Lasts

Documenting how long you experience pain relief after treatment helps justify continued care.

Example Tracking Table:

Date; Pain Level Before Treatment; Pain Level After Treatment; How Long Relief Lasted? Activities Still Affected
02/01/25 , 7/10, 5/10, 6 hours, Sitting longer than 30 mins

02/08/25, 6/10, 4/10, 8 hours, Driving more than 20 mins

02/15/25, 5/10, 3/10, 12 hours, Standing longer than 1 hour

Step 4: Show Measurable Improvements in Function

Your insurance wants proof that treatment helps you function better over time.

Example Tracking Table for Functional Progress

Activity Before Treatment Now (After Treatment)
Sitting 10 minutes before pain; 45 minutes before pain,

Walking 5 minutes before stopping; 15 minutes without stopping

Driving 10 minutes before discomfort; 30 minutes before discomfort

Sleeping Woke up 4x per night ; Now wake up only once

Step 5: Use the Right Words for Insurance

Insurance companies look for specific terms when reviewing your claims. Use their language to improve your chances of approval.

✔ Instead of:
"Pain is still there, but it’s better."
✔ Say:
✅ "Pain intensity has decreased from 7/10 to 5/10, and I can now stand for 30 minutes instead of 10."

✔ Instead of:
❌ "I feel like I’m improving."
✔ Say:
✅ "I can now climb stairs without stopping, which I couldn’t do before."

What to Do Before Your Next Insurance Review

Write down your pain level and functional progress after each treatment.
Use the tracking format above to explain how treatment is improving your ability to function.
Be specific and measurable—avoid vague statements!
If insurance denies visits, use this information to appeal.

By following this plan, you provide the right kind of documentation to support your insurance claims and increase your chances of approval for continued treatment.

✅ Take control of your health by tracking your progress the right way.
✅ Make it easy for your provider to advocate for your care.

Need a printable tracking worksheet? Let us know—we’ll send you one to make your reporting even easier!