Palliative treatment of chronic neurologic disorders

Patients with chronic neurologic disorders suffer from the burden of disease progression without the hope for a cure. Therefore, symptom management and palliative care approaches should be included from the beginning of the illness. Palliative care aims at improving a patient's quality of life by alleviating suffering due to physical, psychosocial, and spiritual factors. Since no curative and only limited life-prolonging treatment options are available for most chronic neurologic disorders, a palliative care approach can help to create a treatment plan that considers all aspects of the disease. We have provided palliative care approaches for the most common neurodegenerative disorders like dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A palliative approach to neurologic disorders does not simply mean limiting treatment and focusing on pain. Instead, the whole unit of care, consisting of the patient, relatives, and caregivers, should be perceived with all their needs.