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Referred and radiating pain: Information for clinicians

This advice is sourced from Dr Ros Taylor a senior palliative physician

Referred pain- pain felt at site remote from site of painful stimulus

Radiating pain -pain felt at site of painful stimulus but spreads elsewhere

Q. What patterns of referred pain do you commonly see in palliative illness?

A. Frequently we see referred pain from spinal metastases causing sciatic pain down the leg.

Arm pain from brachial plexus involvement in breast and lung cancer is also very common.

Liver and gall badder pain refer to the right shoulder. 

Pain from pancreatic disease can be felt in the mid back, as well as the epigastrium.

Head and neck cancers often cause severe referred pain to the face and ear.

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Related Services

Community palliative care teams

Care homes assessment team - Enfield
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Care homes assessment team (CHAT) is a nurse-led service offering physical and mental health support to residents in care homes across Enfield.

The team enable residents to remain in their care home and provide a visiting or telephone service depending on an individual’s needs to diagnose and treat complex physical and mental health including palliative and end of life care support in a resident’s care home. 

St Joseph's Hospice
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St Joseph's Hospice

T. 0300 30 30 400

W. https://www.stjh.org.uk/

St Joseph's Hospice provide palliative care in the Hospice and in the community for residents in Enfield, Haringey and Islington.

There is a 24 hour advice and support line.

Palliative care advice lines

NCL Palliative Advice Team
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NCL Palliative Advice Team

T. 020 8152 3252

W. https://northlondonhospice.org/get-support/out-of-hours-telephone-advice

The North Central London Palliative Advice Team is a telephone service providing palliative care patients, families, carers, and healthcare professionals (in NCL ICS boroughs) with out of hours advice and support.

The telephone service is available 8.00pm to 8.00am, seven days a week.

St Joseph's Hospice
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St Joseph's Hospice

T. 0300 30 30 400

W. https://www.stjh.org.uk/

St Joseph's Hospice provide palliative care in the Hospice and in the community for residents in Enfield, Haringey and Islington.

There is a 24 hour advice and support line.

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