Pain in Other Areas
We assess and manage pain from other areas of your body including the chest, hips, ankles, feet and hands. Management will depend on the cause which will firstly require a comprehensive assessment. This involves a history, physical examination, and review of previous investigation results.
We also assess and manage patients with widespread pain. This affects approximately 1% of the adult population where pain is experienced in multiple tender points throughout the body and may be associated with fatigue and other cognitive symptoms. It is important a careful assessment is performed to exclude potential treatable causes for your pain. This includes, for example, certain metabolic and rheuamatological conditions. There is increasing evidence that central sensitization plays a driving role in the development and maintenance of widespread pain with amplification of the pain signal even with non-painful stimulus.
Helpful Resources:
- Arthritis Australia: Fibromyalgia information sheet
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Fibromyalgia information
- Educational video: Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis Foundation: Rheumatoid arthritis information
- The American Journal of Medicine: Joint Hypermobility Syndrome - Recognizing a commonly overlooked cause of chronic pain
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Polymyalgia rheumatica information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Ankylosing spondylitis information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Systemic lupus erythematosus information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Osteoarthritis information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Psoriatic arthritis information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Scleroderma information
- Musculoskeletal Australia: Managing your pain
- The Pain Toolkit
DisclaimerThe above information is for general education only and is not intended as a substitute for your own independant health advice. At Western Pain clinic we comprehensively assess each patients pain condition and provide advice using the latest evidence-based treatments. If you would like to find out more information about pain in other areas or widespread pain, please discuss this with our doctor during your consultation.