From left arm to the chest: What pain in specific areas of the body might mean

Did you know that pain in one part of the body, might indicate a more serious problem elsewhere? This fascinating phenomenon, called referred pain, happens because the nerves from different parts of the body can share neural pathways with the brain, which can get confused about where the pain is coming from.

Dr Palleti Siva Karthik Reddy MBBS, MD General Medicine and consultant physician, stresses, “While referred pain is a well-documented clinical observation, using it as the sole method to determine the source of a problem is not always reliable. Accurate diagnosis often requires comprehensive clinical evaluation, including medical history, physical examination, and sometimes imaging or other diagnostic tests.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dr. Jaban Moore DC | Functional Medicine (@drjabanmoore) 

On Instagram, content creator Dr Jaban Moore, DC, shared a reel explaining referred pain and its connection to pain in specific body areas. To verify the information, we reached out to Dr Reddy to fact-check each of Dr Moore’s claims in the reel.

What pain in specific areas of the body might mean

Dr Reddy explains pain in certain parts of the body might indicate the following: 

Right abdomen and shoulder: Pain in the right abdomen and shoulder can indeed indicate gallbladder issues, specifically gallstones or cholecystitis, which aggravates on bending forward and it is due to the phrenic nerve referral.

Left arm: Pain in the left arm is classically associated with heart problems, such as a heart attack, because of shared sensory pathways. It can be also due to cervical radiculopathy. 

Lower back: Kidney pain can refer to the lower back, but attributing all low back pain to kidney issues is overly simplistic, as musculoskeletal problems are more common causes. Renal stones have loins to groin pain. 

Lower right side: Appendicitis typically causes pain in the lower right abdomen, but not all pain in this area is due to the appendix. 

Chest and neck: While pain in the chest and neck can indicate issues with the lungs, such as pneumonia or pleurisy, it can also be due to cardiovascular problems.

Top left shoulder: Pain here is not commonly associated with the spleen. Instead, spleen issues might cause pain in the left upper abdomen but not typically the shoulder.

Hip or thigh: Pain in the hip or thigh being referred from the intestines is unlikely. Such pain more commonly arises from musculoskeletal or nerve issues.

Left shoulder or upper abdomen: This pain could be associated with stomach or pancreas issues due to shared central nervous pathways, not typically the intestines.

Dr Palleti Siva Karthik Reddy MBBS, MD General Medicine and consultant physician, stresses, “While referred pain is a well-documented clinical observation, using it as the sole method to determine the source of a problem is not always reliable.” (Source: Freepik)

Debunking claims made in the caption about referred pain

In the caption of the reel, Dr Moore agrees, “Referred pain is a complex aspect of the nervous system and often requires careful examination and diagnosis by healthcare professionals to identify & address the root cause.” He then mentioned additional examples of this phenomenon. Dr Reddy explains whether these are accurate or not:

Testicular issues: Pain from testicular issues can indeed refer to the lower abdomen or inner thigh due to the shared sensory nerves.

Ovarian cysts/issues: These can cause referred pain to the lower back due to pelvic inflammation extending to the sensory nerves around the spine.

Ear/throat infections: Pain from these areas can indeed refer to the jaw or neck because of the interconnected nature of cranial nerves.

Cervical spine problems: Issues here can cause pain referred down the arm or to the shoulder due to nerve compression or irritation.

Prostate issues: Referred pain to the lower back or hips can occur due to pelvic floor muscle tension or inflammation affecting nearby nerves.

Endometriosis: This condition can definitely cause pain referred to the lower back or legs due to inflammatory mediators affecting nearby nerve endings.

Herniated discs: Pain can be referred from a herniated disc to the buttocks or legs, typically via sciatic nerve irritation.

Diagnostic approaches to determine the source of pain

“Understanding and diagnosing pain based on referred patterns requires a holistic approach that considers all possible sources and uses an array of diagnostic tools to pinpoint the exact cause,” says Dr Reddy. She lists some of the diagnostic methods to get more accurate results:

*Clinical evaluation: A thorough history and physical examination are the first steps, focusing on the nature, duration, and specific characteristics of the pain.

*Imaging tests: X-rays, MRI scans, and CT scans can help visualize the internal structures and identify abnormalities that might be causing pain.

*Lab tests: Blood tests can detect markers of inflammation, infection, or other biochemical states associated with pain.

*Specialised tests: Depending on the suspected source of pain, specific tests like ECGs for heart evaluation, endoscopy for gastrointestinal issues, or urodynamic tests for bladder problems may be warranted.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.