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Not everyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease experiences pain. Estimates of pain vary across studies, but somewhere between 24 percent and 85 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience pain related to the condition.
Understanding the different types of pain that are linked to Parkinson’s disease can help you take steps to manage your Parkinson’s-related pain.
Pain can be caused by several factors associated with Parkinson’s, including:
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Some pain that people with Parkinson’s experience isn’t directly related to the condition, such as abdominal pain from constipation, which is common in people with the disease.
Pain due to Parkinson’s may be chronic pain (persistent and ongoing pain) or acute pain (pain that comes and goes).
Here’s more on the types of pain you may experience with Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s can affect joints and muscles, causing musculoskeletal pain.
The cause of musculoskeletal pain isn’t entirely understood.
Some research has linked musculoskeletal pain to motor symptoms that affect movement, such as reduced mobility, rigidity, and the increased stiffness that typically occurs in people with Parkinson’s. But other research has suggested this type of pain may not be related to motor problems.
Musculoskeletal pain commonly affects the legs, back, and shoulders, but can affect other parts of the body as well. “Does anyone else have severe pain in their neck and shoulders? I am dying here and hurting so bad,” a MyParkinsonsTeam member shared.
Some people with Parkinson’s may experience pain from sciatica in the lower back, buttocks, and leg. However, sciatica — which is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve — can be due to other causes.
“I have severe lower back pain and excruciating nerve pain extending down both legs, particularly at night. When I was finally referred to a pain consultant, she described it as the degeneration of my lower spine combined with the rigidity of Parkinson’s creating a trapped nerve,” a team member wrote.
With long-term use of the medication levodopa, which is used to control motor symptoms, some people with Parkinson’s develop dyskinesia. This causes uncontrollable, involuntary movement such as head bobbing, writhing, fidgeting, or swaying.
The abnormal movement associated with dyskinesia can be painful for some people.
Dystonia is a symptom of Parkinson’s that causes long-lasting muscle contractions that can cause painful muscle cramps. Cramping can occur anywhere in the body, but often affects feet and toes.
In response to a MyParkinsonsTeam member’s question about their husband’s foot pain, one member wrote, “If his foot is trying to curl or clench due to Parkinson’s, that could cause pain.”
Dystonia usually occurs in the morning when the benefits of medication have worn down. A MyParkinsonsTeam member wrote, “I’m associating my sciatic nerve pain with my dystonia because I only experience it in the mornings after a rough night’s sleep.”
Central pain is caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord, which affects the central nervous system. Pain can occur in any area of the body and have a wide range of symptoms, including aching, stabbing, or burning pain. Cold temperature and touch can worsen the pain.
One MyParkinsonsTeam member shared that they experience a burning sensation when touching their skin, while another stated, “I often have burning sensations in my arms and legs.”
Neuropathic or radicular pain is nerve pain that travels the route of the nerve. This type of pain can cause an electrical sensation or shooting pain.
“I am dealing with an inflamed nerve in my shoulder blade. I didn’t get much sleep last night with pain shooting down my arm,” said a MyParkinsonsTeam member.
Akathisia is a syndrome in some people with Parkinson’s that causes restlessness and an inability to remain still. It can cause pain in the area of the body that’s affected, such as the legs or torso.
Akathisia can cause discomfort or pain that is often temporarily relieved by moving the affected area.
Treatment options for pain caused by Parkinson’s disease depend on the cause of the pain. Because people with Parkinson’s can have different types of pain, treatment plans need to be individualized for each person’s particular condition.
Here are some treatment options for Parkinson’s-related pain. As always, talk to your healthcare provider or neurologist about the best ways to manage any pain you experience with Parkinson’s.
Treating Parkinson’s disease itself may help alleviate pain. It’s important to maintain your Parkinson’s treatment plan. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your treatment.
The medication amantadine (Gocovri) is sometimes prescribed for people with Parkinson’s to control dyskinesia that’s associated with the drug levodopa.
Other medications that aren’t specifically for the treatment of Parkinson’s but may help with pain include:
“Gabapentin worked when I had neck and shoulder pain,” shared one MyParkinsonsTeam member. “It helped with the shooting nerve pain.”
Another member explained, “My husband used gabapentin to calm nerve pain in his feet because he was having a lot of pain. It helps.”
Some research has shown that deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help reduce Parkinson’s-related pain by as much as 40 percent.
DBS is a surgical procedure in which wires are placed in the brain in order to send electrical pulses that can control motor symptoms in some people with Parkinson’s.
Physical therapy is another way to help you manage pain associated with Parkinson’s, particularly musculoskeletal pain. Physical therapy exercises that help improve posture may help relieve neuropathic pain.
A physical therapist may recommend different stretches and exercises, as well as at-home therapies like applying heat or cold packs when pain hits.
Some MyParkinsonsTeam members have found pain relief through physical therapy. One member noted that consistency helped their loved one to manage pain: “Physical therapy has helped ease the pain, as long as he does the exercises frequently.”
One member shared a tip from their physical therapist: “I used to take ice packs to bed with me. The cold pack seemed to numb my legs so I could get to sleep.”
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Anyone with PD had pain, burning in their hands with loss of use of their fingers?
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I had pain issues with herniated and bulking discs in my upper spine, long before I was diagnosis with PD. I found that no matter what I did the pain would come and go. I made a list of triggers… read more
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