Specific Conditions Causing Persistent Pain in Older Adults

Abstract

The observation that there may be more people over the age of 65 alive today than the total number who have ever reached that age is a stunning testament to our success at increasing longevity. However, with increasing numbers of elders comes the challenge of maintaining their quality of life. It is a fact of aging that chronic medical conditions will accrue, some of which may progress to chronic pain states. Persistent pain has become a chronic disease itself, like diabetes or hypertension.