Characteristics of pain symptoms in Parkinson's disease

Pain is among the most common non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. Pain is generally underestimated and undertreated in this population, with approximately 50% of patients not receiving analgesic treatment. Pain is complex and has multiple etiologies. Improved understanding of the types of pain, their underlying mechanisms, and appropriate treatments may help neurologists to identify pain earlier, classify it appropriately, and determine the best treatment approach to reduce patient burden and outcomes. In this review, we describe the classification and types of pain, relevant pathophysiology, and both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies.