Persistent Pain Makes You Feel and Act 10-20 Years Older

The title to this post is really a pretty obvious observation.  However, San Francisco scientists have put some numbers on the problem, and published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Data came from the 2004 US Health and Retirement Study, which included 18,500 people aged 50 and over.  The study was of cross-sectional design; in other words, it represented a snapshot approach.  The critical target was functional impairment in people with significant pain - moderate or severe pain ‘most of the time’.  Functional impairment was rated for 4 physical abilities: mobility (e.g. walking or jogging); stair climbing; upper limb tasks; and activity of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, etc) with or without help. 

As many as 24% of the study population aged 50-59 had significant pain.  These subjects had much higher rates of functional limitation across all 4 of the physical abilities measured.  For instance, 37% of subjects aged 50-59 who had no pain could jog one mile, while only 9% of those with significant pain could do so; 96% of those without pain could walk one block, while only 50% of those with pain could do the same. 

In another analysis, participants aged 50-59 with pain were similar in their degree of mobility to subjects aged 80 to 89 without pain.  Similar results were obtained for stair climbing, upper limb exercises, and activities of daily living.

Obviously, it’s not just looks that suffer in people with persistent pain.  The researchers conclude that pain and disability may often be part of the same underlying process, and it’s important for healthcare providers to evaluate and treat both the pain and the disability at the same time.