In this editorial, pain researchers give their thoughts and opinions on the fact that people with chronic pain often have pain in more than one area. Suggestions for future research to understand this phenomenon are also offered.
Most people go to the doctor with more than one symptom at a time. Perhaps this is because they wait until the problem gets worse and presents with more than one symptom. Or perhaps, as in the case of pain, it’s just more likely that pain occurs in more than one place at a time.
There are many theories about why most pain is multiple. Scientists are trying to find specific links to explain this problem. Researchers are also looking for risk factors that could be modified or prevented.
Some risk factors might include occupational activity. For example, a work-related task involving the whole body can produce back, neck, arm, and knee pain. Some diseases such as osteoarthritis can cause joint pain throughout the body.
Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are also risk factors for multiple pain sites. And there is some evidence that social, cultural, and economic factors are linked with symptoms and severity of symptoms.
More study is needed to sort out which risk factors go with each type of pain and linked pain sites. These authors suggest it makes more sense to figure out why pain occurs in several places at one time than to explain why pain A and B always occur together.
Further study to identify specific links between A and B may be valuable. But it’s likely that answering the first question will answer the second as well.