PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE, PAIN IS A MAJOR COMPLAINT

Pain is the most common reason people in the United States visit their doctors each year. Although
pain is highly subjective and difficult to describe, a working definition is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional
experience associated with actual or potential physical damage.” Its components are physical, cognitive,
behavioral, emotional and perceptual. Among people who have Parkinson’s disease (PD), pain is a
major complaint. In fact, up to 85 percent of people with Parkinson’s report pain as a troubling symptom.
Some of these people experience pain as an early symptom of Parkinson’s, before their disease has even
been diagnosed. Yet, pain in Parkinson’s disease often remains undiagnosed and untreated. Thus, it is important
to understand that pain can be part of the Parkinson’s experience and to learn ways to manage it.