title: Chronic Pain in Older Adults.
abstract: This review summarizes existing evidence relevant to the epidemiology of chronic pain in older adults, age-related differences relevant to pain, pain assessment, and important considerations regarding pain management in later life. Features unique to pain assessment in older adults include the likelihood of multiple diagnoses contributing to chronic pain, the ability of older adults to self-report, including those with mild to moderate cognitive impairment, and recognition that some older adults with cognitive impairment may demonstrate various behaviors to communicate pain. Management is best accomplished through a multimodal approach, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments, physical rehabilitation, and psychological therapies. Interventional pain therapies may be appropriate in select older adults, which may reduce the need for pharmacologic treatments.
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wang Ambulatory Care Center, 55 Fruit Street Gray-Bigelow 444, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: mbicket@partners.org.
authors: Mark C
authors: MC
authors: Bicket
authors: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wang Ambulatory Care Center, 55 Fruit Street Gray-Bigelow 444, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors: Jianren
authors: J
authors: Mao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement
keywords: Aged; Aging; Chronic pain; Geriatrics; Older adults; Pain clinics; Pain management; Persistent pain