Referred pain
We all go through life experiencing many aches and pains, and many of them can be attributed to a slip and fall, over indulging, or being a weekend warrior, so we ignore them for our body has a great mechanism to heal itself. Not every pain is a cause of panic. But there are some mystery pains that we should never ignore, and many are signs to seek immediate medical help, just to be sure. Pay attention to these telltale signs and messages that a referred pain is signaling you.
Ever get a “brain freeze” or an ice-cream headache? This is called a referred pain. Referred pain means that a problem exists somewhere else in the body other than where you feel the pain, according to WebMd. For example, your pancreas is located in the upper middle part of the abdomen. When it becomes inflamed (called pancreatitis), it becomes a potentially serious disorder. Many patients feel radiating pain in their back or in some cases the left shoulder. This is because the nerves fibers of the pancreas and left shoulder piggyback each other and travel together over the same route. You may not associate a jaw pain with heart attack and you’ll probably dismiss it as usual random pain. But a painful jaw may mean that your heart is stressed, and a heart attack may be imminent.
The following are some examples of referred pain, and it is not an exhaustive list. This information is not intended to be a medical diagnosis for any symptoms that you may experience. It is for informational purpose only, so you are aware what signals your body may be sending you. Always seek medical attention and consult with a physician especially if you have chest pain, severe headache or stiff neck, or pain accompanied by weakness or numbness.
Shoulder Pain
Causes of shoulder pain may be attributable to many other health problems including:
- Abdominal problems, including gallstones and pancreatitis
- Pelvic problems, including a ruptured ovarian cyst.
- Heart and blood vessel problems in which pain is more often felt in the left arm and shoulder, including a heart attack.
- Lung problems, such as pneumonia.
Jaw Pain
A dull, vague pain on the lower left side of your jaw should never be ignored. This pain may increase and decrease over the course of a few minutes. In addition, the pain may move around so you may not be able to pinpoint exactly where it bothers you. This referred pain sensation occurs when the nerves surrounding the heart become agitated, sending pain through the nerves in the spine to the left jaw, shoulder and arm. Jaw pain that happens in the morning can be an instance of referred pain and serves as a warning sign that you may be at risk for a heart attack. Your blood is thicker in the morning, which causes blood pressure to surge, increasing heart attack risk as pointed out by Dr. Oz. You may also get additional classic heart attack signs such as shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea. In this case, see a doctor immediately.
Ear Pain
The causes of ear pain may stem from other parts of your body. According to one Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor, 40% of patients coming to their offices with ear pain was found not to have ear infections, but other root causes such as:
- If you have pain over the mastoid- Sciatica, disc herniation or other cervical spine diseases, whiplash
- If there is pain or discomfort in front of your ear – TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disease, dental problems, tumors, or infection
- If you feel discomfort or pain deep in your ear – Sinusitis or tonsillitis
- If there is discomfort in your ear/ear canal pain – Acid reflux (GERD), tumors, or tonsillitis
Back Pain
Back pain is a symptom of an underlying cause. While it may be due to some heavy weekend lifting, it may also be a result of having:
- Appendicitis
- Aneurysm
- Kidney disease
- Bladder infections, pelvic infections, or ovarian disorders
Severe headache
If you get a sudden and severe headache, the absolute worst headache of you have ever experienced that may be accompanied with other migraine symptoms such as a visual aura (losing part or all of one’s vision for a short period of time, or seeing zig-zag or squiggly lines) may be symptomatic of a brain aneurysm. These arterial bulges in your brain occur in up to 5 percent of people. Many times they don’t cause any issues and you won’t even know you have one unless the weak spot leaks or tears. If that happens, escaping blood can flood the surrounding tissue causing a violent headache and cut off the oxygen supply. If you get these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
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