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The older adults mostly have chronic pain as a major healthcare problem. According to a research, “50 percent of older adults who live on their own and 75-85 percent of the elderly in care facilities suffer from chronic pain” ("Seniors and Chronic Pain"). However, the under-treatment of chronic pain brings serious health outcomes like sadness, unease, decreased mobility, communal segregation; deprived sleep, and associated health hazards.
Chronic pain conditions are of various types i.e. osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal, diabetic neuropathy. The back, hip, knees/legs, and other joints are the most common sites where chronic pain occurs. This pain is mostly related with the increasing age due to natural changes in the bodies of the older adults. The older adults’ sleeping patterns change constantly. Their muscles and joints start becoming rigid day by day. The intake of food lessens that naturally results in low energy in the body. Most of the times, older people do not tell about the pain as they do not know whether there is any treatment for it or not. Sometimes, they are reluctant in reporting the fain because of the fear of medications and/or expensive tests. In some cases, visionary, listening and memory weaknesses hinder their ability to communicate about their painful condition ("Seniors and Chronic Pain").
The mentioned barriers can be overcome with the help of diverse teams that may handle and manage pain. The pain management specialists may include “a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, pharmacist, and others” ("Seniors and Chronic Pain") having specialization in the same. It is important to note here that treatment of chronic pain in the discussed age group needs special care as older adults commonly have nutritional problems or other medical problems like arthritis, heart diseases, and diabetes, etc. It is extremely significant to help older adults self-manage their persistent pain in order to reduce or eliminate it ("Seniors and Chronic Pain").
The outlook towards management of pain in older adults is rather different as compared to pain management for young people. Older populations mostly have complex and multifaceted clinical symptoms of chronic pain. Moreover, older adults tend to underreport pain occurrences. It becomes more difficult to evaluate and treat chronic pain when there are contemporaneous illnesses and various physical and psychological problems. In addition, “older persons are more likely to experience medication-related side effects and have a higher potential for complications and adverse events related to diagnostic and invasive procedures” ("Pharmacological Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons" 1333). In spite of the stated challenges in chronic pain management, older adults get effective treatment in most cases. It is worth-mentioning that it is the moral and ethical responsibility of clinicians to do their best for the prevention of pointless suffering. They are ethically liable to provide their best pain relief measures for chronic pain in older adults who are hanged between life and death ("Pharmacological Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons" 1333).
Chronic pain in older individuals may be treated with the help of medications. Senior adults with chronic conditions are frequently treated with pharmaceutical pain management. It is essential for elderly patients to be extremely cautious and take medications according to the direction of a physician/doctor and under his/her supervision (Fritch). Even though there are potential side effects of medicinal interventions, the American Geriatrics Society provides the assurance by stating: “Although older patients are generally at higher risk of adverse drug reactions, analgesic and pain-modulating drugs can still be safe and effective when [co-existing medical conditions] and other risk factors are carefully considered” (as qtd. in Fritch). Thus, pharmacological therapy is necessary for the older patients who are functionally impaired or live a life of diminished quality. Doctors can achieve maximum positive outcomes by having adequate knowledge about the prescribed drugs and regular assessment of chronic pain ("Pharmacological Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons" 1333).
Pain reducers (non-opiate/opiate), Anti-inflammatories, Corticosteroids, Muscle relaxers and Topical pain reducers are some common drugs for controlling chronic pain in older adults. In case of ineffectiveness of medicinal intervention, alternative treatments are also available for chronic pain. New technologies such as steroid injections, spinal cord stimulator, and nerve blocks are available to relieve chronic pain. In some cases, older patients opt for integrative care and choose holistic therapies to treat chronic pain. Thus, they learn to live pain as a comfortable means and do not attempt to vanish it out. Massage therapy, meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis, herbal supplements, acupuncture, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are some integrative care techniques used for chronic pain management (Fritch).
A senior’s life quality is exceptionally interfered by the chronic pain. Moreover, these pains have a direct impact on the individual’s personal relationships. Pain management could become a hectic task for everybody who is involved in taking care of the patient. Therefore, it is exceedingly important to prevent and/or manage chronic pain in older adults to enable them keep up strong relationships and to have a lifestyle with good health and mind. The chronic pain can be handled more effectively with the better understanding of causes, symptoms, preventative measures, and treatment of chronic pain in the discussed population.
Works Cited
Fritch, M. "Chronic Pain Control for the Older Adult." Senior Homes. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.seniorhomes.com/p/chronic-pain-control/>.
"Pharmacological Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons." American Geriatrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/2009_Guideline.pdf>.
"Seniors and Chronic Pain." NIH Medline Plus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/fall11/articles/fall11pg15.html>.
