Published on: July 24, 2016
by Mohan Garikiparithi for Bel Marra Health:
Pain perception has been found to be altered in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that Alzheimer’s disease may change a person’s ability to experience pain or recognize that they are in pain. This is problematic because the concomitant health issues may go undetected, causing further complications.
In the study that carried on for three years, researchers tested two groups of adults over the age of 65. One group consisted of Alzheimer’s disease patients and the second – control – group did not have Alzheimer’s disease.
The participants were subjected to different heat sensations and then were asked to report their pain levels.
First author Todd Monroe said, “We found that participants with Alzheimer’s disease required higher temperatures to report sensing warmth, mild pain, and moderate pain than the other participants. What we didn’t find was a difference between the two groups in reporting how unpleasant the sensations were at any level.”
The subjects in the Alzheimer’s group were less likely to recognize pain.
Monroe added, “While we found that their ability to detect pain was reduced, we found no evidence that people with Alzheimer’s disease are less distressed by pain nor that pain becomes less unpleasant as their disease worsens.”
Additional research is required to further explore pain perception among Alzheimer’s patients. The researchers recommend that physicians use a variety of tests to assess pain sensitivity in their patients – especially in those who have problems with verbal communication.
Monroe concluded, “As people age, the risk of developing pain increases, and as the population of older adults continues to grow, so will the number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. We need to find ways to improve pain care in people with all forms of dementia and help alleviate unnecessary suffering in this highly vulnerable population.”
Source: http://bit.ly/2a6PVxH
While anyone can experience a stroke at any age, women experience more stroke events than men and are less likely to recover. “BE FAST” is a checklist of 6 items to keep in mind when assessing whether you might be...
Enjoy these highlights from our Engaging Millennial Minds Chew on This virtual event with celebrity chef Mark McEwan.
This virtual culinary event featured Celebrity Chef and Restauranteur Mark McEwan.
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.