Referred pain just means that the source is not directly where the pain is starting from. The pain you feel can travel down the nerves to another area, and this is referred pain. For example, in one exam when my right side was in agonising pain, turns out it was actually from the left side... but I only felt the pain on the right side. This was due to the pain signals being sent down nerves to the right hand side, in other words "referred" pain. The only thing you need to watch is that sometimes a referred pain diagnosis can mask the fact that there is a problem there too. So it may be referred pain, but if that were to be removed there could be another problem or source of pain at the site. I would hope your medical professional would know the difference though! You yourself could not tell as, quite simply, pain is pain. Your Dr should be able to tell by exmaination and by your description. Remember, they know what structures are in your body and where the nerve pathways are. They also know the kind of pain each defect produces.... and if they don't, it is time to find someone who does!! :)

its usually nerve endings.
all i know with me is that i knew it was on the left (and it was) but i also had other spots of pain, but they were more 'twingey'. it can be hard to tell (feel) if its referred as the 'referred pain can be just as bad at times !

hope that has helped x

Just thought I would add that referred pain actually has to be felt at a site that it does not originate from. Hence being referred. If you feel pain at the site it is coming from, then it is not referred pain. The pain must radiate from its original source to be classified as referred.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I think I TOTALLY get it now. In fact, I've had a particularly bad day today and I am convinced that this weird horrible pain I have on my left side is NOT referred pain as my gyno suggested but is another symptom, perhaps from endo, and is the cause of referred pain. It now reaches all the way up to my neck and down my arm. My whole left side, including the ovary area, feels like it is going to go into a "charlie horse".

I've been trying to cut back on my Rx meds so that I can have a better understanding of the pain, but today, it's out of the question!

Thanks again for the clarity, I will now beable to communicate with my doctors better! :)

i had mine shoot up to my neck/head and arms. base of my scalp cramps. (not endo but pelvic congestion)
well its good that you were able to come off meds and analyze it for abit.
x

I was diagnosed with 'referred pain'. I would get cramps and those cramps seemed to 'travel' down my legs (from my hips to my knees) or into my lower back. Eventually, I got such bad low back pain it caused permanent sciatica, which I have not gotten rid of in 1.5 years.
The doctor explained, when cramping is so bad, or causes constant inflammation, it finds other place in the body to manifest. Then you end up with back pain or leg pain etc. There is normally nothing with your legs, back, or sometimes even you will feel pain in your 'right side of abdomen etc'. That does not mean endo is there (many women on here say 'i have pain in my right side, so I know the endo is there' and rarely is it where you feel the pain).

Hope that helps.

Yea, I'm begining to think this isn't endo, I'm not sure what it is. There is something IN there and I made an appointment with my GP to see if I can get an ultra sound or something, this isn't right.
It just seems like it has been one thing after another with me these last couple of years.

Hopefully I will get some answers soon. I can't take this anymore.
Thanks for the info!!

i also knew where i had something wrong and 'in' there. i told her to look to the left and in the cul de sac and thats where they found it.
i get pain in other sites too.. sharp and throbbing, but i knew it was referred pain.
maybe you want to mention pelvic congestion to your doc. pelvic congestion can be to the left or right in the cul de sac or on the ovaries.
where do you feel your pain...
it affects my legs, all up my back and head too. do you feel preassure ?
xx

You know, these last couple of days I've been getting muscle spasms in my scalp and all the way down my back and it's all on the left side. I've also been getting sharp crampy pain in the front and back of my ribs. If I try to rub my back to give it some relief, I get a charlie horse lower on my side. I know it can all be connected but that freaked me out. And the more I move the worse it gets, so I try not to use those muscles but that's hard to do. It's starting to REALLY affect my job.
I have an appointment with my GP on Monday and I will totally bring up pelvic congestion to her, and as soon as I see my gyno ( probably after next weekend ) I will bring it up to him. There is totally something else going on here.

yes its a scary feeling. i also basically cant move. i have not been able to go out or work for two years, so i am glad i got a diagnosis.
xx