Pain is very common in Parkinson’s, in fact, up to 70 percent of people with the disease complain of persistent or recurring pain.
We asked Dr. Pravin Khemani, Movement Disorder Specialist, to tell us a bit about the role of pain in PD. Here is what he had to say:
“Pain causes huge impairment to quality of life, separate from PD symptoms, therefore, it should be promptly diagnosed and treated.
Two possible causes of pain in Parkinson’s include:
- Undertreatment of PD and its motor complications. This pain is typically levodopa responsive, therefore it is critical that PD treatment be optimized. Painful dystonia is another missed condition and may need the use of another category of medications. Your movement disorders specialist should be able to detect and treat dystonia.
- Other. The other category is pain that can universally occur in anyone whether they have PD or not, however, most PD patients have a low threshold for this type of pain.
The other category of pain includes:
- Musculoskeletal pain: Pain from arthritis joint pain and muscle spasms are the most common causes of pain in PD and likely the most common causes of pain in the world. This type of pain is best treated by the primary doctor in collaboration with rheumatologists or pain doctors depending on the severity of pain.
- Neuropathic pain: Pain caused by dysfunction of nerves (e.g. sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, pinched nerves in the back, etc.). The medications for this sort of pain are different than medications for the treatment of PD and musculoskeletal pain, therefore its recognition is important. Your primary care doctor and neurologist can partner in diagnosing this pain and treat it effectively.
Because pain cannot be detected by diagnostics tests alone, the patient’s history is critical in identifying the quality, severity, and cause of pain which ultimately informs treatment.”
For more information on pain and Parkinson’s, including details on more types of pain, their causes, and treatments, please check out our e-book, Pain and Parkinson’s here: Pain and Parkinson’s: A Simple Guide to Relieving Parkinson’s Related Aches & Pains (E-Book) | AllAboutParkinsons.com
Pravin Khemani, MD
Swedish Neuroscientist Specialists
Movement Disorders
Medical Disclaimer: Dr. Khemani’s comments are not prescriptive advice and do not supplant the directions of your treating physician. His views are his alone, based on years of practice and experience in treating Parkinson’s disease, and do not represent the views of his employer or any other organization. Always make medical decisions only under the guidance of your treating doctor.