Pinpointing the Source of Pain

Called referred pain, this shift in sensation happens because of shared nerve pathways. Nerve signals from different parts of the body travel along the same pathways. Sometimes the brain misinterprets the signals coming from one part of the body as originating from another part-for example, mistaking hip pain for knee pain. Referred pain isnt the same as radiating pain, which is simply an extension of the original pain down a nerve (for example, shoulder or neck pain can radiate down a nerve to the arm).