Digital body maps reinvent the way we perceive and discuss pain and discomfort

Abstract

The revival of pain drawings as digital body maps for visualizing pain and discomfort changes the way we understand patients and communicate with them. Data stemming from simple drawings of musculoskeletal pain helped reveal the significance and impact of single versus multi-site pain reports. To achieve the next big step, we will need to go beyond pain site assessment and capture a more complete clinical picture of pain as it unfolds. Recent digital pain mapping studies show hidden patterns of pain expression within these marked pain sites. This mini-review reflects on the knowledge obtained from simple paper pain drawings, touches upon new digital technologies, and discusses how these technologies will allow us to reinvent the way we perceive and discuss pain.