What these 25 types of body aches and pains could mean

Prostock-studio // Shutterstock Nociceptors–commonly known as pain receptors–found throughout the body in bones, blood vessels, muscles, and skin, alert the body to damage and the risk of injury. Nociceptors are essentially nerve endings. The body registers a pain sensation when signals from these endings reach the brain upon detection of injury or risk of injury to the body. The skin alone has around 200 pain receptors per square centimeter (yet only a handful for detecting cold and heat). Though “pain” and “ache” are commonly used interchangeably, they actually refer to distinct types of discomfort in the body. An ache is a feeling of hurt that is usually linked to a specific part of the body. Aches are generally not very strong and can be easily ignored, though they can linger for a sustained period of time, such as following a strenuous workout. Pain, on the other hand, is stronger and more acute than aches and is very difficult, if not impossible, to ignore. An ache, in this sense, can be thought of as a milder counterpart to pain. Both types of hurt serve as an alarm, alerting one to underlying conditions, and as a deterrent against endangering oneself by performing activities harmful to the body. Using a variety of news and scientific sources, Stacker compiled a list of 25 different body aches and pains one could experience and what experiencing each one of the listed aches and pains could mean. Jaw pain Canva Pain in the jaw can range from stiffness in the joints connecting the skull with the lower jaw to a throbbing pain or ache following an injury. Common conditions responsible for jaw pain include temporomandibular joint disorder, arthritis, periodontal disease, and infections such as sinusitis and tetanus. A pain that starts in the chest or shoulders and reaches the jaw could be indicative of a heart attack. Testicular pain kenchiro168 // Shutterstock Pain in the testicles can be caused by a wide variety of physical injuries, inflammation, sexually transmitted diseases, testicular torsion (twisting), or testicular cancer. The origin of the pain could be in the testicles themselves or from the epididymis, which is the tube and tissue behind the organs. Common causes of testicular pain include hernias, kidney stones, trauma from physical injuries, prostatitis, and orchitis. Vaginal pain smolaw // Shutterstock Pain in the vagina includes simple feelings of discomfort and sensations of burning and soreness. These can be caused by cysts, infections, and other medical conditions. That said, pain in the vagina does not necessarily indicate an underlying condition–it could be caused by minor injuries during sexual intercourse, medical procedures, or childbirth. Common conditions associated with pain in the vagina, however, include yeast infection, vaginitis, vulvodynia, and cervical cancer. Back pain