Chronic pain is a huge problem for the majority of the elderly in America. In fact, recent research showed that fifty percent of older adults who live on their own suffer from chronic pain.
That number is even higher in elderly care facilities where chronic pain affects an estimated seventy-five to eighty-five percent of the residents.
Chronic pain can stem other serious health conditions and create depression and social isolation as well as prevent the sufferer from getting enough sleep.
But there are steps you can take to ease the pain a bit. Read on for tips for pain management in the elderly.
Drug treatment is the most widely used method for controlling pain in the United States. There are a lot of different options including NSAIDs, opioids, and muscle relaxants.
But taking medication can have other side effects on your health and can affect cognition as well as physiological symptoms.
Pain is the mind’s recognition of a sensation in the body. At the end of the day, it can take a huge mental toll on you to experience the complex sensory experience of pain.
One way to deal with pain is by attempting to relax through it and divert your attention elsewhere. Some people are more naturally equipt for pain than others. They simply have a higher pain tolerance.
But you can also create a higher pain tolerance for yourself by getting psychological counseling or building a spiritual practice that can strengthen your mental resolve and help you remain positive through your experience.
No pain management plan can be complete without a physical rehabilitation component. It allows the sufferer to strengthen their muscles and learn new ways to move so that they can become more independent.
Rehabilitation can help you remain functional through your pain and equip you to deal with the physical and psychological toll of your illness.
Interventional pain control options like nerve blocks can be put into place using simple procedures and spare you from the side effects of heavy medication use.
There are many different intervention therapies that are being explored for pain including:
These treatments aren’t for everyone. Check with your doctor to see if one of these options might work for you.
These tips for pain management in the elderly can help you to take the edge off of your pain. But what you really need is a robust treatment plan that will help you increase your mobility and feel better every day.
When you’re ready to get serious about your pain management, schedule a tour of our facility today.
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