What Diagnostic Tests Are Recommended If the Left Side of My Body Hurts From Head to Toe?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

To diagnose pain that affects your entire left side, doctors often begin with a thorough neurologic exam and may use tests like sensory assessments and even a skin biopsy to see how your nerves are working.

Explanation

If you’re experiencing pain from head to toe on the left side of your body, your doctor will want to investigate whether it is coming from nerve issues or other conditions. They usually start with a complete neurologic exam. This exam checks your strength, reflexes, and responses to see if there are any signs of nerve problems. One way to look at the nerves is to test your sensitivity to touch; tools like von Frey monofilaments are used to measure how you feel pain or pressure on your skin. They could also do a nerve conduction study or electromyogram (muscle test). If there is a suspicion of small nerve fiber problems causing your pain, your doctor might recommend a neurodiagnostic skin biopsy. This test involves taking a small sample of skin to do a more detailed analysis of your nerve fibers. In cases where a condition like fibromyalgia might be involved, the doctor will also take a full medical history and your symptoms into account. All these tests together help in diagnosing the cause of your unilateral pain so that the proper treatment can be planned.

(References)

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Keizer D, van Wijhe M, Post WJ, Wierda JM. Quantifying allodynia in patients suffering from unilateral neuropathic pain using von frey monofilaments. Clin J Pain. 2007 Jan;23(1):85-90. doi: 10.1097/01.ajp.0000210950.01503.72. PMID: 17277649.
Shahrokhi M, Asuncion RMD. Neurologic Exam. [Updated 2023 Jan 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Genc H, Nacir B, Duyur Cakit B, Saracoglu M, Erdem HR. The effects of coexisting fibromyalgia syndrome on pain intensity, disability, and treatment outcome in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis. Pain Med. 2012 Feb;13(2):270-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01300.x. Epub 2012 Jan 5. PMID: 22222238.
Sjaastad O, Bakketeig LS. The rare, unilateral headaches. Vågå study of headache epidemiology. J Headache Pain. 2007 Feb;8(1):19-27. doi: 10.1007/s10194-006-0292-4. Epub 2007 Jan 15. PMID: 17221345; PMCID: PMC3476116.

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