Pain in the Elderly: Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Older Adults with Pain Complaints and Pain-related Symptoms

Andrew Dentino; Roberto Medina; Eugene Steinberg

doi:10.1016/j.pop.2017.04.009

Pain in the Elderly: Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Older Adults with Pain Complaints and Pain-related Symptoms

Prim Care. 2017 Sep;44(3):519-528. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2017.04.009.

Authors

Andrew Dentino¹, Roberto Medina², Eugene Steinberg²

Affiliations

¹ The Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA. Electronic address: Andrew-Dentino@ouhsc.edu.
² The Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.

PMID: 28797377
DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2017.04.009

Abstract

Pain is a common and often underappreciated and undermanaged problem in older adults. This article addresses the scope of the issue of pain prevalence in older adults, types of pain and their characteristics, approach to and clinical workup of older adults with pain complaints and pain-related symptoms, nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management strategies, and caveats with attention to medication side effects in the elderly.

Keywords: Assessment; Elderly; Management; Pain.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Analgesics / therapeutic use
Humans
Pain / diagnosis*
Pain Management* / methods

Substances

Analgesics