Pain, one of the most frequently mentioned problems by the elderly; It is a complex process that occurs due to a sensory stimulus or a nervous damage and changes according to the memory, expectations and emotional structure of the person.
The rate of undeclared and unreported diseases in the elderly is quite high, because the elderly or their relatives do not apply to health institutions by considering many symptoms as natural for old age. However, it is known that the incidence of pain in the elderly is quite high.
The elderly constitute an important risk group in terms of chronic (continuous) pain, and pain in this age group paves the way for serious problems. Among these problems, depression, anxiety (anxiety), social isolation, sleep disorders, ambulation-movement problems draw attention, and there are significant increases in the use of health services and treatment costs. It should be taken into account that persistent pain increases gait disturbances in the elderly, slows down rehabilitation efforts, and drugs used for pain cause many side effects.
Treatment options for pain in the elderly range from drug therapy to interventional pain therapy. Choosing the appropriate drug in drug therapy, choosing a short-acting drug, prescribing a single drug at a time, starting the treatment at low doses, increasing the dose in a controlled and slow manner if necessary, knowing the side effects of drugs, knowing the side effects of drug combinations, continuing the drug for as long as necessary. is important to do. Although there are many drugs used to control pain, some of them are not recommended, especially in elderly patients; Physicians need to be especially well-equipped in matters related to these drugs.
Low back and leg pains are also common, especially in the elderly, due to the aging of the spine. The pain felt more in the lumbar region is due to the disorder in the facet joints of the spine. Localized pain in the lower back can be relieved with the application of radiofrequency current to the facet joint. Pain radiating from the waist to the leg is mostly nerve compression pain due to herniated disc, and patients can remain pain-free with pulsed radiofrequency current therapy to be applied on this nerve. The approach to the problem of pain, which significantly affects the quality of life in the elderly, should be in the form of a scientific and realistic evaluation and the treatment in a multidisciplinary structure.
