Parkinson's is a never-ending education for me. For the last month, I have been experiencing sporadic joint pain in my arm and leg joints as well as in my finger joints. I kept wondering to myself, Am I developing arthritis? Although the pain is tolerable at this point, there are times when the pain is quite bad. It never occurred to me that Parkinson's might be the culprit of my new symptoms until I received an e-mail from a Parkinson's hopeDIGEST reader asking if my neurologist could expound on this subject.
Unfortunately, the "Ask the Neurologist" series is over; however, my joint pain and the request of a reader prompted me to do some research for this topic. According to the Parkinson's Organization, nearly 40 percent of all PD patients experience this type of pain. To be clear, there are different types of pain ranging from arthritic pain to cramping of muscles and so on. The types of pain experienced are separated into various groups:
Musculoskeletal pain or muscle and joint pain is very common for people with Parkinson's. This type of pain lends itself to being vulnerable to arthritis and osteoporosis. And, as painful as it may be to move around or function normally, this type of pain usually requires patients to adopt an exercise routine. The very action that prompts pain is what is needed to overcome it!
Dyskinetic pain can be a secondary problem to dyskinesias (abnormal involuntary movements) that some people with Parkinson's experience. Pain from dyskinesia can occur before, during, or after the dyskinesia. Dyskinetic pain can result from fluctuations in a person's responses to standard anti-Parkinsonian drugs such as levodopa. Note: dyskinesias are not usually painful unless there is dystonia.
Radicular pain is often described as "shooting pain" that radiates down an arm or leg. Often radicular pain is a result of a trapped nerve within the spinal cord in the neck or back.
Neuropathic pain is typically a cold or burning sensation that usually affects the feet.
To combat these various types of pain, approach your primary care physician or neurologist to discuss whether massage, exercise, or medication is right for your condition.