Symptoms and behaviour

What is Pain in dementia?

Pain in dementia is frequently missed, because a person who cannot report it shows it through agitation, resistance to care, groaning or withdrawal instead.

Arthritis, dental problems, pressure sores, constipation and untreated injury are common and easily overlooked. Studies consistently find people with dementia receive less pain relief than others with the same conditions.

Observational pain scales exist for people who cannot self-report, and clinicians can use them.

Why it matters

A great deal of what is treated as behaviour is untreated pain, and treating the pain resolves the behaviour.

Sources

Where to check this, and where to read more. All external and all authoritative.

Pain in dementia where you live

The local guide on this, for each city we cover.

Related terms

All 92 terms, A to Z