https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-r...treatments
"Referred pain is when the pain you feel in one part of your body is actually caused by pain or injury in another part of your body.
For example, an injured pancreas could be causing pain in your back, or a heart attack could be triggering pain in your jaw.
Referred pain can be a symptom of serious things happening in your body. It’s important to understand how and why it happens.
Causes
Simply stated, referred pain happens because the nerves in your body are all connected.
When your body experiences a pain stimulus, your nervous system carries the signal to your brain. The brain then sends a signal to your body that you’re experiencing pain.
Sometimes, because of how nerves are wired in your body, your brain will send a pain signal to a different part of your body than the area where the pain stems from.
Also, synapses and reflexes that you may not even be aware of can also be the reason pain signals are sent to one area of the body as a sign of a medical issue in another area.
Researchers are still working to understand the exact mechanism and reason why your body has this type of reaction.
Below are some frequent causes of referred pain.
Heart attack
A heart attack is a common reason why people experience referred pain. Referred pain can be felt in your jaw, teeth, and shoulders.
The pain occurs when your body starts to react to a blockage in your heart valves that can trigger a heart attack.
Phantom limb pain
If you’ve had an arm, leg, or extremity amputated, it’s common to feel pain that your body thinks is coming from the body part that was removed.
For example, you might feel pain in your upper thigh from a foot that has been amputated.
Kehr’s sign
Kehr’s sign is pain felt in your shoulder blade. This pain specifically indicates a ruptured or injured spleen.
Brain freeze
Brain freeze that you get after drinking a milkshake or eating ice cream could be considered a type of referred pain.
The pain stimulus is happening in your mouth and throat. However, your vagus nerve is stimulated, and the pain is felt in your brain and the back of your head.
Where does it most often occur?
Referred pain can be felt anywhere, which is part of why it’s hard to diagnose correctly. Common areas that are affected by referred pain include:
Shoulders and neck
Pain in your shoulders and neck can be a sign of:
an injured spleen
a heart attack
a liver cyst
Upper back
Pain in the upper back area right below and between your shoulder blades can give you an indication that you have a stomach condition.
Lower back and sides of your body
An aching on the sides of your back or even close to your oblique muscles can be a sign that there’s something going on with your kidneys or your colon.
Teeth and jaws
Pain in your teeth and jaws can be an early symptom of a heart attack.
"Referred pain is when the pain you feel in one part of your body is actually caused by pain or injury in another part of your body.
For example, an injured pancreas could be causing pain in your back, or a heart attack could be triggering pain in your jaw.
Referred pain can be a symptom of serious things happening in your body. It’s important to understand how and why it happens.
Causes
Simply stated, referred pain happens because the nerves in your body are all connected.
When your body experiences a pain stimulus, your nervous system carries the signal to your brain. The brain then sends a signal to your body that you’re experiencing pain.
Sometimes, because of how nerves are wired in your body, your brain will send a pain signal to a different part of your body than the area where the pain stems from.
Also, synapses and reflexes that you may not even be aware of can also be the reason pain signals are sent to one area of the body as a sign of a medical issue in another area.
Researchers are still working to understand the exact mechanism and reason why your body has this type of reaction.
Below are some frequent causes of referred pain.
Heart attack
A heart attack is a common reason why people experience referred pain. Referred pain can be felt in your jaw, teeth, and shoulders.
The pain occurs when your body starts to react to a blockage in your heart valves that can trigger a heart attack.
Phantom limb pain
If you’ve had an arm, leg, or extremity amputated, it’s common to feel pain that your body thinks is coming from the body part that was removed.
For example, you might feel pain in your upper thigh from a foot that has been amputated.
Kehr’s sign
Kehr’s sign is pain felt in your shoulder blade. This pain specifically indicates a ruptured or injured spleen.
Brain freeze
Brain freeze that you get after drinking a milkshake or eating ice cream could be considered a type of referred pain.
The pain stimulus is happening in your mouth and throat. However, your vagus nerve is stimulated, and the pain is felt in your brain and the back of your head.
Where does it most often occur?
Referred pain can be felt anywhere, which is part of why it’s hard to diagnose correctly. Common areas that are affected by referred pain include:
Shoulders and neck
Pain in your shoulders and neck can be a sign of:
an injured spleen
a heart attack
a liver cyst
Upper back
Pain in the upper back area right below and between your shoulder blades can give you an indication that you have a stomach condition.
Lower back and sides of your body
An aching on the sides of your back or even close to your oblique muscles can be a sign that there’s something going on with your kidneys or your colon.
Teeth and jaws
Pain in your teeth and jaws can be an early symptom of a heart attack.