Number of pain sites is associated with demographic, lifestyle, and health‐related factors in the general population

Research on widespread pain often relies upon case definitions bounded by duration limits or “cut‐offs.” In clinical reality, however, there are no natural cut‐off points between localized and widespread pain. Rather, pain is best represented by a continuum of “widespreadness” from localized pain to pain spread across the body. The objective of this paper was to describe the number of pain sites (NPS) reported in a population study and its association with demographic, lifestyle, and health‐related factors. Using a cross‐sectional design, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used to measure musculoskeletal pain among seven age groups in Ullensaker, Norway (n=2926). Results showed that women reported a higher mean NPS than men. A higher NPS was also found for individuals who were separated or divorced, undergoing rehabilitation, or who had a disability pension. Additionally, greater NPS was reported by smokers, individuals with less physical activity, and a higher BMI. A strong linear relationship was found between NPS and reduction in overall health, sleep quality, and psychological health. Results from a multivariate linear regression analysis showed that overall health, sleep quality, and gender demonstrated the strongest associations with increasing NPS, accounting for 31.4% of the variance. Our study indicates that the straightforward and simple method of counting the NPS could be important in managing the complex problem of musculoskeletal pain.