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Abstract
The pain and aging subfield has grown dramatically, including a 6-fold increase in
publications over the last 2 decades. This subfield is based on the assumption that
pain in older and younger adults differs in clinically and theoretically significant
ways. If this were not the case, data from younger groups could be generalized to
older persons, and the subfield would not be needed. This article considers the evidence
for this assumption. Possible interpretations of the discrepant findings of age-related
increases, decreases and stability in pain, including methodological limitations,
challenges of gerontological research, and the possibility of nonuniform age-related
variation, are discussed. Evidence is presented for several unique characteristics
of geriatric pain: difficulty using Visual Analog Scales, increased vulnerability
to neuropathic pain, decreased vulnerability to acute pain related to visceral pathology,
prolonged recovery from tissue and nerve injury, including prolonged hyperalgesia,
and differences in the relationships among psychosocial factors important in adjustment
to chronic pain. However, without a theoretical framework, it is difficult to integrate
these results in a heuristic manner. Further research is needed to elucidate the characteristics
of geriatric pain, to examine the mechanisms for age-related patterns, and to develop
and test the efficacy of age-tailored interventions.
This article reviews the emerging subfield of pain and aging, discusses the interpretation
of age-related patterns in pain, and presents several avenues for future research
and subfield development. This could contribute to the continued growth of this subfield.