Comfort Keepers At Home Caregivers in Racine, WI & Senior Citizens and Dealing with Pain
How can you help your senior loved one dealing with pain? Comfort Keepers At Home Caregivers in Racine, Wi discuss how to do just that
Senior citizens often have to deal with pain, and at home caregivers know that this pain can cause serious issues, especially when it comes to daily living. Pain is not something that is seen and it is only experienced from the one who is feeling it, so it makes it difficult to describe in many situations. Seniors who do experience pain may often be undertreated for the pain or they may find that their condition is overlooked.
Pain can cause disruptions in your daily life and lead to bouts of loneliness and depression, especially when the senior has to cancel their plans to sit inside while they wait out the pain. Effective management is important.
How to Identify Aches vs. Chronic Pain
Aches occur when pain happens following an event and it does not last long. This type of pain can be best described as the throbbing that occurs when you stub your toe. Yes, it hurts at the time, but it will not last long and only hurts for a few minutes or a couple of days.
Comfort Keepers at home caregivers know that chronic pain is best described as pain that does not go away and it persists for 6 months or more. Think sciatica pain or even neck pain from a previous accident.
Typical Types of Pain Elderly People Suffer From
At-home caregivers know that seniors can suffer from any type of pain, but there are some conditions that are more prevalent in the senior community than others and common pain includes:
- Arthritis
- Joint pain
- Neck pain
- Nerve and back pain
- Osteoporosis
- Injuries from falls
- And more
Medical Treatments and Non-Medical Treatments to Help Relieve Pain for a Senior
When a senior experiences pain, it is important to know that there are both medical and non-medical treatments available to help them. Pain should be treated as quickly as possible to prevent the condition from getting worse or causing the senior to experience additional side effects.
When it comes to medical treatments, there are quite a few available, but not all seniors will like the options available to them. Some of the most common include medications such as pain pills or over-the-counter options, physical therapy or other types of therapies, injections, and more.
Pain can also be treated via non-medical options for those who do not like the idea of medication. Of course, you should speak with your primary care physician before you switch to any medications or supplements. Some of the most common non-medical treatments include vitamins or supplements, acupuncture, yoga or medication, and similar herbal remedies.
If you would like to learn more about how Comfort Keepers can help your loved one with pain management, call Comfort Keepers at home caregivers today.
Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/acute-vs-chronic-pain
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/
https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2093506
https://www.aarp.org/health/alternative-medicine/info-11-2008/drug_free_remedies_chronic_pain.html
https://medlineplus.gov/magazine/issues/fall11/articles/fall11pg15.html
https://www.seniorliving.org/healthcare/pain-treatment-for-seniors/
