Pain has always been a signal that there is a problem in the body that requires medical attention. In most cases, it is not difficult to figure out where the pain signal comes from and what it indicates. However, in some cases, the pain may take on a different character. We will learn about such signals, as well as why they cannot be ignored, in the article.
What is this
Referred pain is pain that occurs in a place remote from the one that is the source of pain. The criterion that such sensations cannot be tolerated and it is necessary to consult a doctor is their duration. As you know, if the pain is acute, then it is impossible to delay a visit to the doctor. If the reflected pain is not strong, but constantly bothers the person, then you need to think about what the body is signaling.
Chest pain
If a person experiences bursting or pulling pain in the chest, which radiates to the left hand, this may bea signal of problems with cardiac activity. Referred pain in the heart can radiate to the scapula or lower jaw, so often patients with heart disease do not associate the nature of the pain with it.
It is important to understand that the course of the disease is easier with timely diagnosis. If the sensations of pain in the left arm and chest appear regularly, intensify with movement or walking, then it is best to consult a therapist. He will listen to the heart for functional noises and prescribe examinations that will allow drawing conclusions about the state of the heart muscle.
Referred shoulder and neck pain
Pain and severe discomfort in the shoulders and neck may indicate problems with the lungs. A sign of such problems may be pain around the neck, radiating to the shoulder joint.
The mechanism of referred pain is such that it manifests itself in different localizations - this means that the pain can “spread” all over the neck, and also be given below the seventh cervical vertebra.
Diagnosis should be made by a specialist
When trying to self-diagnose problems with the bronchi or lungs, you need to remember the features of the cervical spine. It is the most mobile, therefore it is subject to frequent injuries and functional disorders. The causes of pain in the neck can be hypothermia, inflammation of the nerve roots of the spine, osteochondrosis, or degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae. Reflected pain in osteochondrosis can manifest itself in the cervical region, andtestify to functional disorders in the chest.
This pain in the cervical region is always manifested against the background of coughing, tickling or other symptoms of lung problems. It is better to start treatment with an appeal to a therapist who will prescribe fluorography and other tests, depending on the age and condition of the patient, and refer you to a pulmonologist if the test results show such a need.
Pain in the neck, shoulder girdle and under the ribs
Pain in the shoulders and neck, localized on the right side, may indicate problems with the liver. Pressing pain on the right side under the ribs, as well as on the right under the chest, may indicate biliary dyskinesia.
Reflected pain does not always indicate a serious illness - violations of the outflow of bile can be functional. For example, discomfort and slight bile stasis may occur after eating fatty foods. In this case, the pain will only indicate the need to monitor the diet. However, in cases where pain is stable after each meal, increases at night and has a pronounced localization on the right side, this should be a reason to see a doctor.
Pain syndrome with stomach problems
Problems with the stomach and pancreas can be manifested by pain in the projection of their location, but the cause of problems with the stomach can be reflected pain in the spine. Many patients in their reviews indicate that the first signs of gastritis were manifested in their pain in the back. Naturally, they did not connect it with the stomach, believing that the cause was incorrect posture or overexertion from sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
Pain of any nature should not be ignored, however, with its minor manifestations, it will be enough just to adjust the diet, giving up spicy and fatty foods. After giving up alcohol, smoked sausage and fast food for a while, you may find that the discomfort in the stomach has passed.
Problems with the excretory system
When referred pain occurs with kidney problems, the physiology of its perception extends to the entire lumbar region, pelvis and upper thighs. There may be difficulty in tilting the body, pain when trying to sit down or, conversely, rise from a sitting position.
As a rule, after the cause of the problem is eliminated (for example, antibacterial drugs or antibiotics are taken), the pain in the lower back ceases to bother.
In medicine there is a term "fencing behavior". It means that when it is difficult for a person to bend over, he begins to avoid this movement. As a result, muscles and tendons that previously behaved in one way now begin to work differently. Guarding behavior helps to ensure that those movements that were previously difficult to perform are not performed at all after guarding actions.
Compression of blood vessels and nerves
The main cause of referred pain is damage or compression of nerve endings that occur when muscles are stretched. itoccurs as follows: a compressed nerve sends distorted signals to the brain - as a result, a person feels numbness, loss of sensitivity in that part of the body that is served by one or another system of nerve endings. Diagnosis of the disease should be comprehensive, only in this case the cause of the disease can be established correctly.
