Body Map Reveals Widespread Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis

Self-reported electronic body map shows link between widespread pain and severe symptoms in chronic pancreatitis patients

Mar. 24, 2026 at 8:26am

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Researchers used a self-reported electronic body map and found that 64% of patients with chronic pancreatitis who reported abdominal pain had widespread pain, which was linked to severe pain symptoms, increased fatigue, poor physical function, and other features of nociplastic pain.

Why it matters

Nociplastic pain, characterized by dysregulation of the central nervous system rather than local tissue injury, is recognized as a contributor to refractory pain in chronic pancreatitis, but clinicians lack simple bedside tools to recognize its features. This study suggests that a self-reported body map can help differentiate between widespread and localized pain, which represent distinct phenotypes with different symptom profiles.

The details

The analysis included 110 adults aged 18-75 with chronic pancreatitis enrolled at a single tertiary center in Michigan. Pain widespreadness was assessed using the Michigan Body Map, and clinical features of nociplastic pain were measured using psychometric surveys. Among the 102 patients (93%) who reported abdominal pain, 64% had widespread pain. An increasing number of painful regions was independently associated with reduced physical function, increased fatigue, greater pain interference, higher anxiety, and impaired physical and mental health. Patients with widespread vs localized abdominal pain had higher scores for pain severity, spreading, qualitative pain, and neuropathic signs.

  • The analysis included patients enrolled between June 2024 and July 2025.

The players

Jorge D. Machicado, MD, MPH

The lead author of the study, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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What they’re saying

“A simple body map enables clinicians to differentiate between widespread and localized pain subgroups in CP [chronic pancreatitis], which represent distinct phenotypes with different psychometric profiles and pain outcomes. The use of body maps may assist clinicians in distinguishing between pain mechanisms and recognizing nociplastic pain at the bedside.”

— Jorge D. Machicado, MD, MPH

The takeaway

This study highlights the potential for using a simple self-reported body map to identify widespread pain in chronic pancreatitis patients, which is linked to more severe symptoms and features of nociplastic pain. Recognizing this pain phenotype could help clinicians tailor treatment approaches for these patients.