User pain points and user problems are two terms that are often used interchangeably in UX, but there is actually a distinction between them. Knowing the difference will help us build better products for our users. To better understand the difference, consider a medical analogy. Imagine a patient who complains of migraines to her doctor. User pain points and user problems are two terms that are often used interchangeably in UX, but there is actually a distinction between them. Knowing the difference will help us build better products for our users. To better understand the difference, consider a medical analogy. Imagine a patient who complains of migraines to her doctor.