# What is the name for this type of pain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821 "2008-07-09T12:29:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/1 "2008-07-09T12:29:48Z")
When you have a heart attack, some people will get pain in their arms, instead of their chest, but the pain is caused by the heart. I have thought of and rejected: phantom pain sympathetic pain misplaced pain Is there a technical term for it? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/2 "2008-07-09T12:32:27Z")
[Referred Pain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referred_pain) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/3 "2008-07-09T12:32:32Z")
[Referred pain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referred_pain). ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/4 "2008-07-09T12:55:47Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/5 "2008-07-09T13:11:27Z")
Since the GQ has been answered, can I add one of my favorite examples of referred pain? I figured this one out all by my little ol’ self as a newbie massage student. (And later had it confirmed by the pros.) If you have persistent back pain between the shoulder blade and the spine, try massaging the side and front of the neck, and the muscle attachments on the anterior collarbone. Seriously, it’s the oddest thing, and nothing directly connects the two areas, but the referred pain phenomenon means that tight sternocleidomastoid gives you pain 'twixt your spine and shoulderblade. Weird, huh? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/6 "2008-07-09T14:46:09Z")
Not referred pain, as such, but referred sensation: if I’m cleaning out my ears with a Q-tip (yes, I’ve read the “do not insert in ear canal” thing, but nothing else has any power over my mutant earwax), when I hit certain spots, I get a tickle in my throat. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/7 "2008-07-09T15:02:02Z")
My SIL thought she had a bad knee, and it turned out she needed hip replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/8 "2008-07-09T15:31:45Z")
I recently had some stomach surgery and when I lay on my right side, I get a pain in my left shoulder. I want to ask the doc about it and make sure that it is nothing next week when I see him. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/9 "2008-07-09T17:20:47Z")
Before I gave up soda, I’d get an air bubble deep down (I’m assuming after the stomach, as I could never belch it up), and the pressure of it would give me the illusion that my kidneys were hurting. Before I figured it out, I had made an appointment with the doctor in a panic, thinking there was something horribly wrong. Then I felt a bubble move from place A to place B down inside there somewhere, and the “kidney” pain instantly vanished. I’ve noted this same thing happening when I very occasionally indulge in half a soda, so I’m sure it’s the referred pain thing. Weird, huh? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/10 "2008-07-09T17:41:52Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] Before I gave up soda, I’d get an air bubble deep down (I’m assuming after the stomach, as I could never belch it up), and the pressure of it would give me the illusion that my kidneys were hurting. Before I figured it out, I had made an appointment with the doctor in a panic, thinking there was something horribly wrong. Then I felt a bubble move from place A to place B down inside there somewhere, and the “kidney” pain instantly vanished. I’ve noted this same thing happening when I very occasionally indulge in half a soda, so I’m sure it’s the referred pain thing. Weird, huh? [/QUOTE] Actually, in that case it may very well be the air bubble actually pushing against your kidneys (or pushing against something that’s pushing against your kidneys)… ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/11 "2008-07-09T21:16:54Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Not referred pain, as such, but referred sensation: if I’m cleaning out my ears with a Q-tip (yes, I’ve read the “do not insert in ear canal” thing, but nothing else has any power over my mutant earwax), when I hit certain spots, I get a tickle in my throat. [/QUOTE] When I tilt my head and put eardrops in my ear (duh), I feel like they are coming out the inner corner of my eye. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/12 "2008-07-09T21:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] When I tilt my head and put eardrops in my ear (duh), I feel like they are coming out the inner corner of my eye. [/QUOTE] They may be. The tubes in your head are often connected - it’s a like a warren of tunnels in there, and not everyone’s are the same shape. Ever meet a kid who could blow milk bubbles out of the corner of his eye after taking a drink? I have. It’s gross, but cool. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/13 "2008-07-09T21:41:49Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] If you have persistent back pain between the shoulder blade and the spine, try massaging the side and front of the neck, and the muscle attachments on the anterior collarbone. Seriously, it’s the oddest thing, and nothing directly connects the two areas, but the referred pain phenomenon means that tight sternocleidomastoid gives you pain 'twixt your spine and shoulderblade. Weird, huh? [/QUOTE] I am SO doing this, I mean, having someone do this to me tonight! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/14 "2008-07-09T21:46:59Z")
[QUOTE=SharkB8] I am SO doing this, I mean, having someone do this to me tonight! [/QUOTE] Note: make sure whoever’s doing it doesn’t massage both sides of your neck at once! You can block off both arteries to the brain like that and come up with a mild case of the dead. Okay, probably just unconscious for a few seconds, but it’s still not fun. Just work on one side at a time, mmm’kay? ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/15 "2008-07-10T00:26:07Z")
I’m not sure where the gallbladder is located relative to the heart, but when I had a nasty attack of biliary colic (gallstone trouble) several months ago, I got the squeezing chest pain that spread around the back and between the shoulderblades. It referred like a bastard. ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/16 "2008-07-10T00:28:36Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Note: make sure whoever’s doing it doesn’t massage both sides of your neck at once! You can block off both arteries to the brain like that and come up with a mild case of the dead. Okay, probably just unconscious for a few seconds, but it’s still not fun. Just work on one side at a time, mmm’kay? [/QUOTE] Promise! Hmm…maybe THAT’S what really happened to Michael Hutchence… ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/17 "2008-07-10T01:59:30Z")
Isn’t it also called _projected_ pain? And if not then what is that term referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/18 "2008-07-10T15:14:13Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] When I tilt my head and put eardrops in my ear (duh), I feel like they are coming out the inner corner of my eye. [/QUOTE] They’re connected. I found that out when I had a probe shoved into my tear duct to unblock it. Fluid came out my nose and my ears felt weird. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/19 "2008-07-10T15:17:55Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] when I had a probe shoved into my tear duct [/QUOTE] Great farfling god! _shudder_ _shudder some more_ ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821/20 "2008-07-10T16:56:11Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Great farfling god! _shudder_ _shudder some more_ [/QUOTE] [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325547&highlight=eyelid](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325547&highlight=eyelid) Check out post #36 for all the gory details. It was high drama. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-type-of-pain/455821.md?page=2)