It’s official
Older adults seem better able to cope with chronic pain than younger adults, say researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of South Florida.
Their study of 5,823 black and white adults found those under the age of 50 appear less able to cope with chronic pain and to be more prone to depression associated with chronic pain than adults over age 50.
The researchers blame it on expectations and stress level in younger folks (always looking for the depression angle so you can get on Prozac or some such). I’m no scientist or anything but maybe a factor is that, as one gets older, their little nerve endings become a bit less responsive. As such, pain is a bit more intense if your nerve endings are newer. Just a guess though as I clearly don’t know what I’m talking about.
January 31st, 2005 at 4:02 pm
I’d guess that we really are (as a group) pussies. My dentist was amazed at how I described my chronic pain on a tooth that had to be removed. “Dull ache” is how I described it. He asked, “didn’t you have headaches, sharp pain, stuff like that?” I said, “I got headaches sometimes, and it would hurt if I jabbed it. Didn’t seem like a big deal.”
January 31st, 2005 at 6:14 pm
After 50 years of it, I guess you get used to it. My dentist was impressed at my capacity for pain.