Growing Old Can Get Old (But It Doesn't Have to Be Painful)

Here’s a painful reminder of getting older (as opposed tothe good news part of still being around). An estimated 18.7 million people experience some type of ongoing pain,according to a recent issue of PAIN, a publication dedicated to its title.

The study, which included cognitive and physical performance assessments, was done in community or in residential care facilities, such as retirement or assisted-living homes. The researchers learned some interesting consistencies:

· Bothersome pain afflicts half of community-dwelling older adults in the United States.

· The majority of older adults with pain reported having pain in multiple locations, such as in the back, hips, and knees.

· The percentage of people with pain did not differ by age, even when researchers accounted for dementia and cognitive performance.

Older adults tend to have weaker muscle strength, impaired walking and poorer overall function than those without the reported pain. While those results aren’t in itself is a surprise, how many people are affected is.A reported 53% of these adults reported having pain on a regular basis. Pain was higher in women and in older adults with obesity and musculoskeletal conditions. A majority, 75% of the respondents reported multiple areas of pain. Those with one or more areas affected by pain reported an inability to walk in small intervals than older adults without pain.

As the majority of our population is getting older, and life expectancy is growing, this issue will become increasingly important to the quality of life for a large segment of our society. The good news is there many things that can be done to not only postpone the inevitable pain gain and to help manage it all when the time comes.

At RELAX HOLISTIC we have many ways we can focus pain management programs to the individual to help relieve the stress of everyday issues. You can also visit my information page, which will not only define some of the issues you might be facing, but guide you in the right direction to living your life if not pain free, in a better position to deal with the reality that we are all getting older.