If you stub your toe on the kitchen counter, you’re going to feel it in the form of acute pain. Acute pain is what happens when direct trauma relays pain sensations to our brain, and while it is likely the most common form of pain, it’s far from the only way we perceive discomfort. Another type of pain that can develop is what’s known as “referred pain.” We explain what referred pain is, how it affects your spine and how you can treat it in today’s blog.
What Is Referred Spine Pain?
Referred pain describes pain that is felt in one location but caused by a problem in another area. A common type of referred pain is nerve pain in your arms or shoulders that is caused by a herniated disc in your back. You feel symptoms of the condition in your arms, but your underlying problem lies in your spine. The disc issue is referring pain to other areas of your body.
Shooting or traveling pain may be the most obvious sign of referred spine pain, but it’s far from the only type of referred symptoms. Other symptoms that could suggest that you’re dealing with a referred spine problem include:
- Arm or leg weakness
- A tingling sensation
- Numbness
- Burning sensation
Treating Referred Spine Pain
If you’re dealing with any of the above symptoms or you’re dealing with discomfort that came about without an acute trauma, the single best thing you can do for your spine is to seek out a professional diagnosis. Researching your symptoms online is admirable, and while we want our patients to be proactive in their health care, trying to use a symptom checker to determine your cause of referred pain can be problematic. Because there can be so many different root causes of referred pain, and because your surface level symptoms may suggest otherwise, it’s unlikely you’ll get the best care and treatment advice from an online source. You’re better off getting an in-person evaluation and imaging tests to see exactly what’s causing the referred sensations.
Once you have a true diagnosis, your spine specialist will walk you through some treatment options. These treatment options will focus on the underlying problem, which should directly help with the symptoms you’re feeling in other areas of your body. Treatment will be individualized to your specific injury, but many people find relief with a combination of rest, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, exercise and simple dietary changes.
On the off chance that you’re not seeing gains through conservative care, there’s a good chance that a minimally invasive surgery can help your find relief. Whatever type of care you need, Dr. Sinicropi and his team can provide it. For more information, or for help getting your referred pain under control, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.
