Bill McCarberg, MD
Director of Pain Services, Board of Directors, American Pain Society
Department of Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA.
As humans age, they invariably become more susceptible to disease, which can impair function and enjoyment of life and pose significant challenges to the health care system. Osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease, affects over 18% of adults in Ontario.1 Pain has also been associated with a three- to seven-fold increased prevalence of inability to perform daily tasks in the non-institutionalized elderly in Canada.2
More than half of elderly persons in the US are estimated to experience pain daily,3 and recent initiatives in the US have focused attention on the need to treat pain. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently introduced new pain management standards to require better pain medicine in hospitals and other institutions as part of their accreditation process.
Non-pharmacologic Therapy
Although medications are commonly required to manage pain and maintain function in elderly patients, non-pharmacologic therapy remains a cornerstone of treatment. It should be started prior to the initiation of pharmacologic therapy, when possible, and be maintained throughout the pain management process.
