Chronic Pain in Older Adults

Pain is a common complaint of the elderly. As the number of individuals older than 65 years continues to rise frailty and chronic diseases associated with pain will likely increase. Therefore primary care physicians will face a significant challenge in pain management in older adults. The elderly are more likely to have arthritis bone and joint disorders cancer and other chronic disorders associated with pain.1 Between 25% and 50% of community-dwelling elderly have important pain problems.