referred pain

Examples of referred pain in the following topics:

• Localization of Pain

  • Referred pain (also reflective pain) is pain perceived at a location other than the site of the painful stimulus.
  • Radiation is different from referred pain.
  • The pain related to a myocardial infarction could either be referred pain or pain radiating from the chest.
  • Referred pain occurs when the pain is located away from or adjacent to the organ involved.
  • The size of referred pain is related to the intensity and duration of ongoing/evoked pain.

• Autonomic Reflexes

  • An example of referred pain from an autonomic reflex arc occurs when the bowel is suddenly distended.
  • In these cases, the body will interpret the afferent pain stimulus as somatic.
  • While the unconscious reflex arcs are normally undetectable, in certain instances they may send pain sensations to the CNS, masked as referred pain.
  • This pain is usually non-localized.
  • The pain is usually referred to dermatomes that are at the same spinal nerve level as the visceral afferent synapse.

• Pulled Groin

  • A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles.
  • A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles.
  • Signs of a severe groin pull include pain while sitting or at rest and difficulty walking.
  • Treating a groin pull is relatively simple, and includes resting the muscle (and refraining from any activity that aggravates the injury), applying ice or heat as needed, gentle stretching of the area, and if needed, anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to help relieve the pain.

• Phantom Limb Sensation

  • Phantom limb pain is usually intermittent.
  • Phantom pains occur when nerves that would normally innervate the missing limb cause pain.
  • However, research published in 1995 by Flor et al. demonstrated that pain (rather than referred sensations) was the perceptual correlate of cortical reorganization.
  • In 1996, Knecht et al. published an analysis of Ramanchandran's theory that concluded that there was no topographic relationship between referred sensations and cortical reorganization in the primary cortical areas.
  • Recent research by Flor et al. suggests that non-painful referred sensations are correlated with a wide neural network outside the primary cortical areas.

• Sciatic Nerve Injury

  • Sciatica pain may be felt in the lower back, buttocks, or along the leg and foot.
  • The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, or various parts of the leg and foot.
  • Pain can be severe in prolonged exposure to cold weather.
  • Although sciatica is a relatively common form of low back pain and leg pain, the true meaning of the term is often misunderstood.
  • Sciatica is also referred to as lumbar radiculopathy, which involves compression of the sciatic nerve roots caused by a herniated (torn) or protruding disc in the lower back.

• Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome

  • Patellofemoral pain syndrome is discomfort originating from the contact of the posterior of the patella (kneecap) with the femur.
  • Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a syndrome characterized by pain or discomfort seemingly originating from the contact of the posterior surface of the patella (back of the kneecap) with the femur (thigh bone).
  • Specific populations at high risk of primary PF Syndrome include runners, basketball players, young athletes, and females; especially those who have an increased angle of genu valgus (commonly referred to as "knock-knees").
  • Patellofemoral pain syndrome may also result from overuse or overload of the PF joint.
  • For this reason, knee activity should be reduced until the pain is resolved.

• Pain Sensation

  • Pain comes in two phases.
  • The pain associated with the Aδ fibers can be associated to an initial extremely sharp pain.
  • These are typically referred to as silent or sleeping nociceptors since their response comes only at the onset of inflammation to the surrounding tissue.
  • Nociceptive pain can be divided into visceral, deep somatic and superficial somatic pain.
  • Visceral pain is diffuse, difficult to locate, and often referred to a distant, usually superficial, structure.

• Analgesia: Relief from Pain

  • An analgesic is a drug used to relieve pain (to achieve analgesia).
  • The word analgesic derives from Greek an- ("without") and algos ("pain").
  • This reduces pain and also inflammation (in contrast to paracetamol and the opioids).
  • This may be of particular concern regarding patients suffering with chronic pain.
  • The term "epidural" is a simplified term that refers to the technique of epidural analgesia.

• Herniated (Slipped) Disc

  • The condition is widely referred to as a slipped disc, but this term is not medically accurate as the spinal discs are fixed in position between the vertebrae and cannot in fact "slip. " A herniated disc may occur due to trauma, lifting injuries, or other factors.
  • They can range from little or no pain if the disc is the only tissue injured, to severe and unrelenting neck or low back pain that will radiate into the regions served by affected nerve roots that are irritated by the herniated material.
  • Often, herniated discs are not diagnosed immediately because the patients have undefined pains in the thighs, knees, or feet.
  • Unlike a pulsating pain or pain that comes and goes, which can be caused by muscle spasm, pain from a herniated disc is usually continuous, or at least is continuous in a specific position of the body.
  • Initial treatment usually consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medication (NSAIDs), but the long-term use of NSAIDs for patients with persistent back pain is complicated by their possible cardiovascular and gastrointestinal toxicity.

• Gonorrhea

  • Women, on the other hand, are asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain.
  • Half of women with gonorrhea are asymptomatic while others have vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain or pain with intercourse.
  • Rarely, gonorrhea may cause skin lesions and joint infection (pain and swelling in the joints) after traveling through the blood stream.
  • A mother may transmit gonorrhea to her newborn during childbirth; when affecting the infant's eyes, it is referred to as ophthalmia neonatorum.