Regional pain syndromes... or What are the signs and symptoms of arthritis?
When patients come into the office they rarely say, “I have rheumatoid arthritis and this is the type of treatment I need”... or “I have systemic lupus erythematosus and I have kidney involvement...” What a patient usually says is, “I have pain... right here...” So the chief complaint of pain here... or there is what a regional pain syndrome is. It could be pain in the shoulder or the knee or the elbow or whatever. Regional pain syndromes are the most common problems seen by both rheumatologists as well as orthopedists. Now if an athlete is tackled in a football game and he hears and feels a pop and the exam points towards a torn anterior cruciate ligament or a bone is sticking out, it’s pretty easy to make the diagnosis. On the other hand, when a patient says, “I hurt,” it isn’t always easy to put your finger on the problem right away. That’s why this section on regional pain syndromes is so important. It will discuss pain occurring in different parts of the musculoskeletal system. The value of careful history taking and careful physical exam can’t be underestimated. Many regional pain syndromes arise as a result of referred pain from internal organs. So if you have neck pain, shoulder pain or something like that, this section is for you.
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