Pain diagrams are offered as diagnostic measures, which may imply that they are somewhat objective. Among 155 patients marking pain and numbness on hand diagrams, the total area marked on the pain diagram correlated with catastrophic thinking, symptoms of depression, and health anxiety. In multivariable analysis, catastrophic thinking was the sole independent predictor of a marked pain area (1). 

The total area marked on the numbness diagram correlated with the interval between onset and visit, diagnosis, catastrophic thinking, and symptoms of depression. The interval between onset and visit, a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, and catastrophic thinking were independently associated with the total area marked on the hand numbness diagram.

The effect of cognitive biases, such as worst-case thinking, in response to symptoms on hand diagrams suggest their potential utility as an indicator of less effective cognitive coping strategies and as a potential basis for discussion of mental and social health opportunities among patients with upper extremity conditions.

References

1. Moradi A, Mellema JJ, Oflazoglu K, Isakov A, Ring D, Vranceanu AM. The Relationship Between Catastrophic Thinking and Hand Diagram Areas. J Hand Surg Am. 2015 Sep 22. pii: S0363-5023(15)01033-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2015.07.031. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26409578.