Pain management for older people

You may experience pain intermittently throughout your life. The pain you experience may be due to a condition or disease. It can also be due to broken bones, arthritis, and other diseases that affect movement. Pain is different for everyone and pain tolerance is individual too. While some cannot tolerate pain very well, others can tolerate pain excessively well. Because pain can be caused by so many different things, there are a number of ways to manage pain and get on with your day.

Exercise and yoga can be an option for pain management. Some have found that exercising regularly helps them to be more flexible and lessen their pain. Yoga is a great alternative exercise that does not overload the body or strain the muscles. It allows the person to flex their muscles and that makes it easier to move. If you don’t exercise regularly, you may feel tense and tense all the time. This will make you more susceptible to pain. You can look in your local newspapers or call your local health clubs to see when the next yoga exercise class will start so you can join.

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, are just one of many ways to control pain. Ibuprofen controls inflammation and can decrease your pain in as little as 15 minutes after taking a dose. There are other alternative medications that are available without a prescription. You may also find that warm compresses can ease pain. It is important to remember that you should never use extreme heat, and if you do use a heating pad, be sure to keep it in sight of the pain for about 20 minutes at a time. Moist heat is another alternative to try, as it provides a pleasant, even heat that relieves pain.

Prescription medications are another alternative to pain relief. These are only available with a prescription from your doctor. The problem with relying on prescription drugs is that they can be addictive and you may not be able to stop taking them once the pain is gone. Prescription drugs have their advantages because they relieve pain for longer periods of time and quickly. The downside to taking prescription drugs is that you are taking a controlled substance and you have to take it at certain times. You can’t take more than prescribed, so if the pain relievers wear off, you can’t take more until it’s time for your next dose.

Acupuncture is another alternative to pain control. Acupuncture is an ancient practice that uses pins to apply pressure to certain nerve endings that control pain. It is well known and can help alleviate your pain in either extreme.

Managing pain is an individual preference and even if you think you can no longer cope with pain, you should search all available options and try them to help you manage your pain and live your life as it should be.