What score is assigned to no response for a painful stimulus?

In the context of assessing a patient's responsiveness using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), a score of 1 is assigned to the absence of any verbal or motor response to a painful stimulus, indicating a profound level of unresponsiveness. This score reflects the lowest level of consciousness, where the patient does not respond even to strong stimuli.

When evaluating a patient's responsiveness, the GCS provides a standardized way to communicate the extent of impairment. A score of 0 is not typically used in this context, as the scale begins from 1, meaning that even with no response, a score should still be assigned rather than leaving it at zero. Higher scores represent varying levels of responsiveness, with more points indicating greater levels of consciousness and response. Thus, for a patient showing no response at all to painful stimuli, the correct score to give is 1, emphasizing the critical nature of the patient's condition and the need for further assessment and intervention.