What Is Referred Pain?

As physiotherapists, we often hear patients say things like, “I feel pain in my shoulder, but I didn’t injure it” or “I have this nagging tight muscle here in my shoulder blade” this could be a sign of referred pain—a fascinating and sometimes confusing phenomenon.

Referred pain occurs when pain is felt in an area of the body that is not the actual source of the problem. For example, a person with a heart condition may feel pain in their left arm, or someone with a neck issue might experience discomfort in their upper back or arm. This happens because nerves from different parts of the body share common pathways to the spinal cord and brain.

So, even though the issue might be in one location (like a joint, muscle, or internal organ), your brain may “refer” the pain to another area. That’s why accurate assessment and diagnosis are essential.

As physiotherapists, we use thorough assessment skills (detective work) and clinical reasoning, to determine the true source of your pain—and create the right treatment plan to address it.

If you’re experiencing unexplained pain, don’t guess. Book an appointment and let us help you get to the root of it.