Location of pain

Identifying the location of each pain can help to identify the cause of pain, and whether or not the pain is localised can give clues to the pain type—see c_agg7-c01-s6.html#agg7-c01-s6__tagg7-c01-tbl2 for features of nociceptive, neuropathic and nociplastic pain.

Patients may experience pain in areas different to the origin of the stimulus. Referral or radiation of pain is often characteristic, and gives clues to the type and cause of pain. For example, in the absence of pathology at the painful site:

• shoulder tip pain suggests diaphragmatic or liver capsular pathology
• knee pain or lateral hip pain suggests hip joint or lumbar spine pathology
• testicular or groin pain suggests ureteric or retroperitoneal pathology.

Use a body chart to assist patients to locate individual pain sites¹.