Sites of Pain

Click on the part of the body where you feel pain.

Arm/Hand

Phantom Limb Pain/Post-Traumatic Pain
Pain may develop in the part of the body that has undergone a surgical or traumatic amputation. In this alteration of the nervous system, patients sense that the extremity that has been excised or removed is still present; what patients also feel is often described as burning or electric pain.

Abdomen

Abdominal Wall Pain
Pain may sometimes manifest in the abdominal area from multiple sources. Post-surgical scar pain (neuroma), disc herniation in the spine or inflamed nerves may cause this discomfort in patients. Patients describe the discomfort in this area as "burning" or "dull-achy" pain.

Interstital Cystitis
Acute and chronic inflammation of the bladder can lead to a condition known as interstitial cystitis. Typically this pain is manifested as a burning pain located in the lower abdomen. Patients may have painful urination and discomfort during intercourse.

Female Pelvis/Male Groin

Chronic Prostatitis
Prostatitis is often described as an infection of the prostate. It can also be an inflammation with no sign of infection. Just 5% to 10% of cases are caused by bacterial infection. The primary symptom of chronic infectious prostatitis is usually repeated bladder infections. Prostatitis is considered chronic if it lasts more than three months and it can affect men of all ages.

Pelvic/Rectal Pain
Pain in the pelvic or rectal region may affect women and men of all ages. This pain can be seen acutely or chronically. Pelvic pain may be due to endometriosis and gynecologic disorders, testicular and urologic disorders, scar tissue from radiation or surgery and ligament injury. Patients may experience burning with urination, painful intercourse, or a burning, electric-like pain that is present at rest or with activity.

Buttocks

Coccydynia
Coccydynia is pain in the area of the coccyx (tailbone). Coccydynia can be anything from discomfort to severe pain. The name describes a pattern of symptoms (pain brought on or aggravated by sitting).  It may have started with a fall onto one's tailbone or sometimes other causes.

Leg/Foot

Phantom Limb Pain/Post-Traumatic Pain
Pain may develop in the part of the body that has undergone a surgical or traumatic amputation. In this alteration of the nervous system, patients sense that the extremity that has been excised or removed is still present; what patients also feel is often described as burning or electric pain.

Herniated Disk
Herniated disks may cause headache, neck, arm, mid-back, chest wall, low back or leg pain and/or numbness. Usually patients will not need surgery for herniated disks.

Head/Neck

Headache Pain and Migraine Pain
Headache pain has been an age-old problem afflicting society socially, emotionally and financially. Its intensity can range from dull tension headaches to chronic migraines. It is reported that sixty to seventy million U.S. citizens have headaches, with a majority of female sufferers.  Headaches may be caused by a variety of sources including neck problems as well as irritated nerves in the head and neck area.

Neck Pain
Neck pain can be a significant source of discomfort for many patients. The source of pain in the cervical (neck) region may be multi-factorial and relate to muscle, nerve, bone, joint or disk problems. Patients may experience discomfort in the neck area or radiating down the arms and hands.

Disc Pain
Disc pain may occur when a patient has a symptomatic degenerated disc (one that causes neck, mid or low back pain or other symptoms). It is the disc itself that is painful and is the source of pain. This type of pain is typically called axial pain.

Herniated Disk
Herniated disks may cause headache, neck, arm, mid-back, chest wall, low back or leg pain and/or numbness. Usually patients will not need surgery for herniated disks.

Chest

Chest Wall Pain
Patients may experience pain in the chest wall due to various sources. Post-Surgical scars (neuromas) may cause a significant source of pain after operations. Shingles pain (post-herpetic neuralgia) may also be a source of discomfort in the chest region. The pain with this syndrome develops either before or after the lesions have healed.  Chest wall pain may also emanate from problems in the spine.

Back

Back Pain
Listed below are the common disorders, symptoms and physical signs causing back pain or sciatica:

Disorder	Symptoms	Physical Signs
Sacroiliitis	Low back & buttock pain If severe may radiate to posterior thigh	Joint tenderness to palpation
Iliolumbar Syndrome	Pain across back with referred leg pain	Tenderness/pain with lateral bending
Myofascial (Quadratus Lumborum Muscle)	Back, hip, buttock, abdomen, or groin pain	Tenderness below and close to the 12th rib/side of spine
Myofascial (Gluteus Medius Muscle)	Low back & buttock pain/pain w/(in)activity	Tenderness above hip with painful sensations along side of leg
Myofascial (Piriformis Muscle)	Low back, groin, perineum, buttock, hip pain	Localized tenderness at tailbone
Facet Syndrome	Aching low back pain w/referred pain to leg	Increasing pain w/bending
Trochanteric Bursitis	Aching/burning pain in high lateral of thigh	Tenderness/increasing pain by lying on painful side
Interspinous Ligamentous Syndrome	Widespread aching in trunk and pelvis; worse in A.M; chronic fatigue	Localized tender points ranging from neck muscles to chest wall, lower back, buttocks and knees

Disc Pain
Disc pain may occur when a patient has a symptomatic degenerated disc (one that causes neck, mid or low back pain or other symptoms). It is the disc itself that is painful and is the source of pain. This type of pain is typically called axial pain.

Herniated Disk
Herniated disks may cause headache, neck, arm, mid-back, chest wall, low back or leg pain and/or numbness. Usually patients will not need surgery for herniated disks.

General

Cancer Pain
Not all cancer patients experience pain, but it is one of the most common symptoms associated with cancer. There are different types of cancer pain including: Acute (relatively short-term), chronic (continuing over several weeks or months), breakthrough pain (sudden temporary flare in pain intensity, neuropathic (caused by injury or compression of nerves) and nociceptive pain (inflammatory response to ongoing nerve-tissue damage).

Most of the time the patient's oncologist or primary care physician are able to adequately prescribe medications for cancer pain. The IPI physicians should get involved when either the side effects of the prescribed medications are too great or the pain relief inadequate.

Fibromyalgia
A musculoskeletal pain.  Fibromyalgia means pain in the fibrous tissues of the body: muscles, ligaments and tendons. The pain can vary, depending on the time of day, weather changes, physical activity and the presence of stressful situations.

It is described as a deep muscular aching, burning, throbbing, shooting and/or stabbing. Quite often, the pain and stiffness is worse in the morning and may be more painful in muscle groups that are used repetitively.  Frequently, specific causes in the spine can be identified as a source of fibromyalgia-like symptoms.

Hip and Joint Pain
Patients may suffer from hip pain due to many causes. Bursitis (inflammation of the fluid filled sac surrounding joints), arthritis, or referred pain from disc herniations may cause a decrease in range of motion and activity of patients with an increase in pain.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) / Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a disease that is manifested in patients after an injury and may include painful swelling, warm or cool sensations, and skin color, nail bed, or hair growth changes.

The symptoms of RSD may occur after either something as simple as a sprain or a major event, such as trauma or surgery. Injury may or may not occur to the nerves which send painful impulses in an abnormal manner.

Copyright 2008 Illinois Pain Institute
illinoispain.com