Patients with chronic pain often complain about the increase in pain, therefore, it became crucial to study the factors interacting while the increase in pain sensitivity. A cross-sectional population-based study was undertaken in which participants were given the self-reported pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ) and compared to the individuals without pain. This technique clarified relationship in pain to its spreading, frequency, intensity, duration to age and sex. About 6477 participants of southeast Sweden were enrolled in the study out of which 5905 had pain and 572 without pain.

The mean PSQ score was calculated, in participants with pain, it was 3.9 with 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.88-3.98 whereas in normal participants it was 3.5 with 95% CI, 3.38-3.64. There was a difference of 0.4 with 95% CI, 0.03-0.56 in PSQ i.e. higher in participants with pain with significant variation in mean and SD 3.5 and 1.54 respectively. The pain sensitivity was reported by a correlation coefficient of 0.3 related to spreading, intensity, and frequency of pain which showed a positive relation. PSQ score 4.5 with 95% CI, 4.27-4.69 was higher in widespread pain among women and 4.3 with 95% CI, 3.94-4.71 in men than in localized pain, 3.7 with 95% CI, 3.61-3.91 in women and 3.8 with 95% CI, 3.66-3.95 in men. The PSQ score for women with regional pain was between widespread and localized pain, i.e. 4.0 with 95% CI, 3.95-4.11 in women and for men, it was 3.8 with 95% CI, 3.69-3.87 which is equal to localized pain. Thus the association between pain sensitivity and spreading of pain was found but further explorations are needed before implementing PSQ for clinical use.