Objectives: The aim was to study the characteristics of pain drawings in the neck, shoulders, and upper-back regions among the general working population.
Methods: Pain drawings of the rear view of the neck, shoulders, and upper back were made by 125 middle-aged subjects from the general working population suffering from symptoms, mainly ache and pain, in the neck or shoulder regions. The locations of the markings in each pain drawing were coded to computer files using a transparent grid (878 pixels). The total area, the number of separate loci, and the left-right symmetry were recorded. Symptoms and signs were assessed at a medical examination.
Results: The most frequently marked locations in the resulting aggregated topographical diagram covered two palm-sized areas in the neck-shoulder angles, with a symmetrical and even distribution occurring between the left and right sides. Subjects with more chronic or severe symptoms made pain drawings with larger areas. The presence of tenderness in the neck-trapezius region was associated with larger areas and more bilateral and multiple loci. Larger areas with multiple bilateral loci and a more symmetric distribution characterized pain drawings made by women as compared with those made by men. No substantial difference was noted in connection with age or educational level.
Conclusions: Pain drawings of neck and shoulder symptoms among the middle-aged general working population most usually focused on the neck-shoulder angles with a symmetrical left-right distribution. The number of separate symptom loci and their total area, left-right distribution, and symmetry were characteristics associated with symptom chronicity and severity or signs of tenderness in the neck-trapezius region.