Pain is a signal that something may be wrong in your body. You’ve probably been in pain at one time or another but found that it often goes away as the body heals or with treatment. However, many older people may have ongoing pain from health problems like arthritis, diabetes, shingles, or cancer. A few things you can do to help manage your pain and feel better are:
- Keep a healthy weight. Being overweight can slow healing and make some pain worse. A healthy weight might help with pain in the knees, back, hips, or feet.
- Be physically active. Pain might make you inactive, which can lead to more pain and loss of function. Activity can help.
- Get enough sleep. It can reduce pain sensitivity, help healing, and improve your mood.
Read more about managing pain in NIA’s Pain and Older Adults booklet.
