2

AgePage

National Institute on Aging

Pain: You Can

Get Help

Phyllis loves playing with her grandchildren, 

working in the garden, and going to bingo 

games. But, at age 76, the constant knee pain 

from osteoarthritis is taking a toll. It keeps 

her awake at night and stops her from doing 

activities she enjoys. The pain’s getting to 

be too much to handle, but she doesn’t know 

what to do about it.

You’ve probably been in pain at one time 

or another. Maybe you’ve had a headache 

or bruise—pain that doesn’t last too long. 

But, many older people have ongoing 

pain from health problems like arthritis, 

diabetes, shingles, or cancer.

Pain can be your body’s way of warning 

you that something is wrong. Always tell 

the doctor where you hurt and exactly how 

it feels.

Acute Pain and Chronic Pain

There are two kinds of pain. Acute 

pain begins suddenly, lasts for a short 

time, and goes away as your body heals. 

You might feel acute pain after surgery or 

if you have a broken bone, infected tooth, 

or kidney stone.

Pain that lasts for 3 months or longer is 

called chronic pain. This pain often affects 

older people. For some people, chronic 

pain is caused by a health condition such as 

arthritis. It may also follow acute pain from 

an injury, surgery, or other health issue 

that has been treated, like post-herpetic 

neuralgia after shingles.

Living with any type of pain can be 

hard. It can cause many other problems. 

For instance, pain can:

■ Get in the way of your daily activities

■ Disturb your sleep and eating habits

■ Make it difficult to continue working

■ Be related to depression or anxiety

■ Keep you from spending time with 

friends and family

Describing Pain

Many people have a hard time describing 

pain. Think about these questions when you 

explain how the pain feels:

■ Where does it hurt?

■ When did the pain start? Does it come 

and go?

■ What does it feel like? Is the pain 

sharp, dull, or burning? Would you use 

some other word to describe it?

■ Do you have other symptoms?

■ When do you feel the pain? In the 

morning? In the evening? After eating?
3 4

■ Is there anything you do that makes 

the pain feel better or worse? For example, 

does using a heating pad or ice pack help? 

Does changing your position from lying 

down to sitting up make it better?

■ What medicines, including over-thecounter medications and non-medicine 

therapies have you tried, and what was 

their effect?

Your doctor or nurse may ask you to 

rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 

being no pain and 10 being the worst pain 

you can imagine. Or, your doctor may ask 

if the pain is mild, moderate, or severe. 

Some doctors or nurses have pictures of 

faces that show different expressions of 

pain and ask you to point to the face that 

shows how you feel. Your doctor may ask 

you to keep a diary of when and what 

kind of pain you feel every day.

Attitudes About Pain

Everyone reacts to pain differently. 

Some people feel they should be brave and 

not complain when they hurt. Other people 

are quick to report pain and ask for help.

Worrying about pain is common. This 

worry can make you afraid to stay active, and 

it can separate you from your friends and 

family. Working with your doctor, you can 

find ways to continue to take part in physical 

and social activities despite having pain.

Some people put off going to the doctor 

because they think pain is part of aging 

and nothing can help. This is not true! 

It is important to see a doctor if you have 

a new pain. Finding a way to manage pain 

is often easier if it is addressed early.

Treating Pain

Treating, or managing, chronic pain 

is important. Some treatments involve 

medications, and some do not. Your 

treatment plan should be specific to 

your needs.

Most treatment plans focus on both 

reducing pain and increasing ways to support 

daily function while living with pain.

Talk with your doctor about how long it 

may take before you feel better. Often, you 

have to stick with a treatment plan before 

you get relief. It’s important to stay on a 

schedule. Sometimes this is called “staying 

ahead” or “keeping on top” of your pain. 

Be sure to tell your doctor about any side 

effects. You might have to try different 

treatments until you find a plan that works 

for you. As your pain lessens, you can likely 

become more active and will see your mood 

lift and sleep improve.

Medicines to Treat Pain

 Your doctor may prescribe one or 

more of the following pain medications. 

Talk with your doctor about their safety 

and the right dose to take.

■ Acetaminophen may help all types 

of pain, especially mild to moderate 

pain. Acetaminophen is found in overthe-counter and prescription medicines. 
5 6

People who have more than three drinks 

per day or who have liver disease should 

not take acetaminophen.

■ Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 

(NSAIDs) include aspirin, naproxen, and 

ibuprofen. Long-term use of some NSAIDs 

can cause side effects, like internal bleeding 

or kidney problems, which make them 

unsafe for many older adults. You may not 

be able to take ibuprofen if you have high 

blood pressure.

■ Narcotics (also called opioids) are used 

for moderate to severe pain and require a 

doctor’s prescription. They may be habitforming. They can also be dangerous 

when taken with alcohol or certain other 

drugs. Examples of narcotics are codeine, 

morphine, and oxycodone.

■ Other medications are sometimes used 

to treat pain. These include antidepressants, 

anticonvulsive medicines, local painkillers 

like nerve blocks or patches, and ointments 

and creams.

As people age, they are at risk for 

developing more side effects from 

medications. It’s important to take exactly 

the amount of pain medicine your doctor 

prescribes. Don’t chew or crush your pills if 

they are supposed to be swallowed whole. 

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if 

you’re having trouble swallowing your pills.

Mixing any pain medication with 

alcohol or other drugs can be dangerous. 

Make sure your doctor knows all the 

medicines you take, including over-thecounter drugs and dietary supplements, as 

well as the amount of alcohol you drink.

Remember: If you think the medicine 

is not working, don’t change it on your 

own. Talk to your doctor or nurse.

Pain Specialist

Some doctors receive extra training in pain 

management. If you find that your regular 

doctor can’t help you, ask him or her for 

the name of a pain medicine specialist. A 

pain specialist may be a doctor, nurse, or 

anesthesiologist.

If you or a loved one is managing pain from 

cancer or other serious illness, ask to be seen 

by a palliative care specialist. These specialists 

are trained to manage pain and other 

symptoms for people with serious illnesses.

What Other Treatments Help 

with Pain?

In addition to drugs, there are a 

variety of complementary and alternative 

approaches that may provide relief. Talk 

to your doctor about these treatments. 

It may take both medicine and other 

treatments to feel better.

■ Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles 

to stimulate specific points on the body 

to relieve pain.

■ Biofeedback helps you learn to control 

your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle 

tension, and other body functions. This 

may help reduce your pain and stress level.
7 8

■ Cognitive behavioral therapy is a 

form of short-term counseling that may 

help reduce your reaction to pain.

■ Distraction can help you cope with 

acute pain, taking your mind off your 

discomfort.

■ Electrical nerve stimulation uses 

electrical impulses to relieve pain.

■ Guided imagery uses directed 

thoughts to create mental pictures that 

may help you relax, manage anxiety, 

sleep better, and have less pain.

■ Hypnosis uses focused attention to 

help manage pain.

■ Massage therapy can release tension 

in tight muscles.

■ Mind-body stress reduction combines 

mindfulness meditation, body awareness, 

and yoga to increase relaxation and 

reduce pain.

■ Physical therapy uses a variety of 

techniques to help manage everyday 

activities with less pain and teaches you 

ways to improve flexibility and strength.

Can I Get Addicted to Pain 

Medicine?

Sometimes, strong medications called 

opioids are needed to control pain. Opioid 

pain relievers are generally safe when taken 

for a short time as prescribed by your doctor, 

but they can become addictive, especially 

if they are misused. Regular use can lead to 

dependence. Never take opioids in greater 

amounts or more often than prescribed.

Using opioids can also increase risk for falls, 

dizziness, and other ailments in older adults.

Becoming addicted to prescription pain 

medicine can happen to anyone, including 

older adults. Sometimes, these treatments 

are the only ones available that can help. 

But, sometimes other treatments can 

and should be tried first or can be used 

intermittently or simultaneously. So, ask 

your doctor if there is another medicine or 

a non-medicine alternative you can try. Tell 

your doctor if you or a family member has a 

history of alcohol or drug abuse.

For more information about opioid use, 

visit the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov/

drugoverdose/patients/index.html.

Opioid addiction can be treated. If you 

or someone close to you needs help for 

a substance use disorder, talk with your 

doctor, or contact the Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration 

at 1-800-662-4357 (toll-free) or 

https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

Helping Yourself

There are things you can do yourself 

that might help you feel better. Try to:

■ Keep a healthy weight. Putting on extra 

pounds can slow healing and make some 

pain worse. A healthy weight might help 

with pain in the knees, back, hips, or feet.

■ Be physically active. Pain might make 

you inactive, which can lead to more pain 

and loss of function. Activity can help.
9 10

■ Get enough sleep. It can reduce pain 

sensitivity, help healing, and improve 

your mood.

■ Avoid tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol. 

They can get in the way of treatment and 

increase pain.

■ Join a pain support group. Sometimes, 

it can help to talk to other people about 

how they deal with pain. You can share 

your thoughts while learning from others.

Cancer Pain

Some people with cancer are more 

afraid of the pain than of the cancer. 

But most pain from cancer or cancer 

treatments can be controlled. As with all 

pain, it’s best to start managing cancer 

pain early. It might take a while to find 

the best approach.

One special concern in managing 

cancer pain is “breakthrough pain.” This 

is pain that comes on quickly and can take 

you by surprise. It can be very upsetting. 

After one attack, many people worry it 

will happen again. This is another reason 

to talk with your doctor about having a 

pain management plan in place.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Pain

People who have Alzheimer’s disease 

may not be able to tell you when they’re in 

pain. When you’re caring for someone with 

Alzheimer’s, watch for clues. A person’s 

face may show signs of being in pain or 

feeling ill. You may see a person frequently 

changing position or having trouble 

sleeping. You may also notice sudden 

changes in behavior such as increased 

agitation, crying, or moaning. Refusing 

to eat may be a sign that the person has 

tooth pain or other oral health issues. 

It’s important to find out if there is 

something wrong. If you’re not sure what 

to do, call the doctor for help.

Pain at the End of Life

Not everyone who is dying is in pain. 

But, if a person has pain at the end of life, 

there are ways to help. Experts believe 

it’s best to focus on making the person 

comfortable, without worrying about 

possible addiction or drug dependence. 

For more information, visit www.nia.nih.gov/

health/providing-comfort-end-life.

Some Facts About Pain

■ Most people don’t have to live with 

pain. There are pain treatments. While not 

all pain can be cured, most pain can be 

managed. If your doctor has not been able to 

help you, ask to see a pain specialist.

■ The side effects from pain medicine 

are often manageable. Side effects from 

pain medicine like constipation, dry 

mouth, and drowsiness may be a problem 

when you first begin taking the medicine. 

These problems can often be treated and 

may go away as your body gets used to the 

medicine.
11 12

■ Your doctor will not think you’re 

a sissy if you talk about your pain. If 

you’re in pain, tell your doctor so you 

can get help.

■ If you use pain medicine now, it 

will still work when you need it later. 

Using medicine at the first sign of pain 

may help control your pain later.

■ Pain is not “all in your head.” No 

one but you knows how your pain feels. 

If you’re in pain, talk with your doctor.

For More Information About 

Pain and Pain Management

American Academy of Pain Medicine

1-847-375-4731

info@painmed.org

www.painmed.org

American Chronic Pain Association

1-800-533-3231 (toll-free)

acpa@theacpa.org

https://theacpa.org/Support-Groups

Eldercare Locator

1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)

www.eldercare.gov 

National Cancer Institute

1-800-422-6237 (toll-free)

cancergovstaff@mail.nih.gov 

www.cancer.gov

National Center for Complementary 

and Integrative Health

1-888-644-6226 (toll-free)

1-866-464-3615 (TTY/toll-free)

info@nccih.nih.gov

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/pain/chronic.htm 

National Institute on Drug Abuse

1-301-443-1124

websubmission@mail.nih.gov

www.drugabuse.gov 

For more information about health 

and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center 

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free) 

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free) 

niaic@nia.nih.gov 

www.nia.nih.gov 

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/health to find more 

health and aging information from 

NIA and subscribe to email alerts. Visit 

https://order.nia.nih.gov to order free 

print publications.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

February 2018