Pain

Stiffness is sometimes present during the early stages of Parkinson’s disease with dementia or vascular dementia. Many people in the moderate and severe stages are stiff and have Parkinson-like symptoms. This is understood to be due to the spread of nerve cell death to the dopamine system in the brain, which regulates motor movement. 

• In the severe stages, the patient may be affected by spasms resulting from discharges in the damaged brain tissue. These spasms can often be alleviated by using antispasmodic medication.
• Involuntary twitching of the muscles – or myoclonus as it is known in the medical profession – can occur in the severe stage of dementia. These muscle twitches require no treatment provided that they do not appear to be distressing to the patient.
• Contractures – whereby, for example, it is not possible to straighten the fingers – are common in the later stages. Here, we need to keep the joints moving using suppling-up exercises. Painkilling medication may be needed before starting the exercises.

Pain can occur with, for example, Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, Parkinson’s, vascular and fronto-temporaldementia. To find out more about the diseases, click here.