Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Referred pain is pain felt in a location different from its origin, typically from internal organs to the body wall. This occurs because nerve fibers from visceral (internal organ) and somatic (body wall) tissues converge on the same areas of the spinal cord and brain. The brain interprets these signals as coming from the more familiar somatic tissues, leading to the mislocalization of pain. For example, heart pain (angina pectoris) can be felt in the chest and arm. Referred pain is always perceived as originating from a superficial area when the actual source is deeper.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.