Referred and radiating pain: Information for clinicians

This advice is sourced from Dr Ros Taylor a senior palliative physician

Referred pain- pain felt at site remote from site of painful stimulus

Radiating pain -pain felt at site of painful stimulus but spreads elsewhere

Q. What patterns of referred pain do you commonly see in palliative illness?

A. Frequently we see referred pain from spinal metastases causing sciatic pain down the leg.

Arm pain from brachial plexus involvement in breast and lung cancer is also very common.

Liver and gall badder pain refer to the right shoulder. 

Pain from pancreatic disease can be felt in the mid back, as well as the epigastrium.

Head and neck cancers often cause severe referred pain to the face and ear.

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