Pain Relief for Seniors

Updated on July 18, 2019

Chronic pain is, unfortunately, a reality for quite a few older people. When we age, our bodies tend to become more and more fragile. Neuropathic, musculoskeletal, osteoarthritic, and chronic joint pain are all difficult to treat and far too common. Issues such as these make everyday activities more challenging and can often cause those who suffer from them to withdraw into a lifestyle that’s more sedentary. These issues can’t be cured completely but taking steps to deal with chronic pain can slow the process of aging and prevent the issues from becoming worse. 

Addiction Doesn’t Help

Many seniors are given prescriptions for opioids to help them treat their chronic pain issues. Those who aren’t might turn to illicit drugs like fentanyl for help. You can get info on fentanyl here. While they might seem to help, they often just mask the pain while causing larger issues. The best thing to do is to stay away from things like this as much as possible, and if you find yourself dependent on them, seek professional help as soon as possible. 

Be Active

Many seniors experience all sorts of chronic pain, including back pain. Often, this can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Our bodies have been made in such a way that they need motion in order to remain fit. Simple things like walking around or even getting up from a seated position can become incredibly challenging because the muscles can atrophy to the point where they’re not able to support our bodies. For this reason, as soon as mobility begins to be an issue, it’s critical to move as much throughout the day as possible. 

Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy, and Chiropractic Care

Muscle tension and inflammation can cause your joints to shift from their proper positions. With the passing of time, this allows for your joints and bones to shift. Shifting of these body parts can permanently increase pain levels and reduce mobility. Physical therapists and chiropractors can manually reposition those bones back to their intended positions to reduce the effects of chronic pain. Professional massage therapists will attack this issue from an alternate angle. They’ll force imbalanced or tense muscles to relax. In more serious instances, these treatments will only have a temporary effect. Having regular appointments will be able to drastically improve levels of comfort though.

TENS

TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is a popular treatment for chronic pain that’s caused by issues with the muscles. TENS units are small electrical devices that are equipped with electrodes. The electrodes allow a low voltage current to pass through the skin and directly into muscle tissue where it creates impulses that are picked up by the nervous system. This current acts to stimulate the nerves, which reduces the pain to levels that are manageable. There aren’t any side effects either, which makes this quite a popular alternative to medications that can become addictive. 

Stress

People who suffer from chronic pain know that stress can be a massive issue. Our bodies react to stress with muscle tension and an increase in blood pressure. This works to amplify any pain, making a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break. It’s a good thing that the treatment for this is simple. Little things like calling a friend, visiting loved ones, or even just sitting in the sun can reduce stress levels and allow the body to relax a bit. 

The guidelines you’ve just read are five simple steps that can assist any senior citizen who suffers from chronic pain get the relief that they so desperately need.

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