3 Common Age-Related Pain Myths
The Link Between Pain and Aging
Many women over 40 start to get various body aches and pains.
Body aches and pains can be from various things, including arthritis, menopause, and new or old injuries.
But there are so many myths and misconceptions when it comes to getting older and pain.
Is your body pain something that should be expected and accepted as you age?
Should body pain be treated or ignored?
Many older adults accept body aches and pain and do not seek treatment, considering it to be “normal” to have pain as we get older.
Expecting and accepting pain can lead to living a sedentary lifestyle instead of staying active due to pain limitations.
Here is some recent research which debunked three common pain myths.
Myth 1: Pain is an inevitable part of getting older.
Despite the belief that things like arthritis happen as we age, pain is not inevitable.
While studies have found that some types of pain (low back and neck pain) are prevalent in older adults, the actual number of people who reported having pain declined with advancing age.
Myth 2: Pain worsens with age.
Many people believe that aches and pains get worse as you get older.
However, while the condition may worsen over time, this does not necessarily mean the pain gets worse.
One study of persons with back pain found that the pain was frequently short-lived and episodic and did not get worse with age.
In another study with people with osteoarthritis, progressive joint narrowing also did not necessarily mean worsening pain.
Myth 3: Ignoring/Pushing through pain makes it easier to tolerate.
Ignoring or accepting pain does not make it easier to tolerate or its consequences easier to deal with.
Chronic pain can lead to depression, sleep problems, and declining mobility, all of which can negatively impact overall health.
Many types of pain can be successfully treated in people of all ages.
Physical therapy is one of the best treatments for many conditions that cause pain.
Additionally, changing how you eat and avoiding inflammatory foods can significantly improve your aches and pains.
So rather than simply accepting your aches and pains, explore what can be done to improve your pain.
This often means seeking information from other wellness providers as many general practitioners also wrongfully dismiss joint aches and pains as a natural part of getting older.
However, let’s take responsibility for our health and seek answers!
Don’t let pain keep you from enjoying your older years!
IN CASE YOU DON’T KNOW ME…
I’m Karin, a certified Yoga and Pilates Teacher and Wellness Coach based in Kingston, Jamaica.
I help women over 40 go from feeling achy to feeling great!
I have a free newsletter that is short, actionable, inspiring, and loved by over 800 subscribers!
Sign up to get it below!
