Page 115 - ASOP ROT Study Guide

3. PAIN IN SPINAL DISORDERS
Pain may occur:
♦ locally (at the site of an injury/abnormality)
♦ in another part of the body - referred pain
♦ along the length of the nerve arising from an affected nerve root
3 . 1 Local Pain
In general, people with backache find it difficult to pin-point the pain in their back. Pain tends to be
related to a whole region, such as the lumbar or dorsal regions, and it is relatively unusual for it to be
located more specifically.
3 . 2 Referred Pain
Pain occurring in the back may be "referred" from the back to the buttock, thigh and leg, descending
as far as mid-calf, but rarely below this. Pain may also be referred from the neck to the shoulder and
upper arm.
3 . 3 Nerve Root Pain
The nerve roots emerge from the vertebrae through the vertebral foramina, which are surrounded by
the facet joints behind and the intervertebral disc in front. Diseases affecting the facet joints and the discs
may cause direct pressure on, or inflammatory reactions and swelling of, the nerve roots (Figure 2 shows
examples). The brain interprets such disturbances as pain in the spinal nerve originating from that
particular nerve root.

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