Types of Pain in Multiple System Atrophy

Pain affects up to 87% of people with multiple system atrophy (MSA), but it remains unclear which types of pain contribute most to the overall burden.

To estimate the frequency of different types of pain in MSA individuals.

In 2023, individuals with MSA completed a web-based survey that included the King's Parkinson's Disease Pain Questionnaire (KPPQ) and additional questions addressing pain related to MSA core features (eg, coat-hanger pain, pain due to bladder-issues, cold extremities, bruises, and pressure sores). Respondents were matched by age, gender, and disease duration with historical cohorts of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy controls (n = 96 each) who had previously completed the KPPQ.

One hundred and fifty-seven MSA individuals with pain completed the survey. The most frequently reported KPPQ types of pain were nocturnal pain (73%), musculoskeletal pain (63%), and fluctuation-related pain (62%). Common additional pain sources included coat-hanger pain (59%), cold extremities (48%), and bruises (44%). All KPPQ pain types were significantly more frequent in MSA than in healthy controls, except for musculoskeletal pain (63% vs. 66%, P = 0.722). Compared with PD, MSA individuals reported less musculoskeletal (63% vs. 78%, P = 0.023), but more orofacial pain (32% vs. 12%, P < 0.001) on the KPPQ.

MSA is associated with both non-specific and disease-related pain types, which may be neuropathic, nociceptive, nociplastic, or mixed in nature. These findings inform the development of tailored tools for identifying distinct pain sources in MSA, as each may require a specific therapeutic approach, including targeted treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms. © 2026 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2026 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.