The patient has been admitted to the hospital for an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). She reports pain in her neck and left arm. Which type of pain is this?

A. Cutaneous pain: This pain originates from the superficial skin layers or subcutaneous tissues and is typically sharp or burning. It is localized to the site of stimulation, such as a laceration or a minor thermal burn. It does not explain the radiating discomfort from a deep internal organ like the heart. B. Referred pain: This phenomenon occurs when pain is perceived at a site different from its actual biological point of origin. Sensory fibers from the viscera and somatic structures enter the spinal cord at the same segmental level. The brain misinterprets the visceral signals from the myocardium as coming from the neck or arm. C. Somatic pain: Deep somatic pain arises from sources such as blood vessels, joints, tendons, muscles, and bone. It is usually described as a dull, aching sensation that is better localized than visceral pain. It involves the musculoskeletal framework rather than the autonomic sensory pathways associated with cardiac ischemia. D. Visceral pain: This pain originates from the larger internal organs, such as the stomach, intestine, or the heart itself. While the underlying cause of a myocardial infarction is visceral, the specific report of neck and arm pain describes the secondary perception. The term referred pain more accurately describes the location-based clinical manifestation.