Seniors and Unexpected Pain

Pain is one of the major issues that seniors face. But pain is also not very well understood by researchers. 

 

Right now, there are two main theories that researchers have when it comes to understanding how the brain reacts to pain. The first is called the Estimate Hypothesis. It states that the brain attempts to estimate the amount of pain that an experience will entail. The second theory is called the Surprise Hypothesis. In this scenario, people experiencing pain perceive it as the difference between what they expect and what they actually experience. The difference is referred to as the prediction error.

 

The researchers found that pain seemed to be amplified in the study participants when it was unexpected. When the prediction error was large, the pain that was reported seemed to be more than when the prediction error was smaller. 

 

 

Virtual reality was used during this study, along with thermal stimulation to replicate pain. The hope was to better examine the mechanisms within the body that perceive and regulate pain. Again, this is an area of research that needs a lot more study, so projects like this one are incredibly important.

 

One of the hindrances is that pain is hard to study in humans because of the ethical considerations that accompany it. Virtual reality might be the key to opening up better research opportunities. 

 

This research comes from the University of Tsukuba, located in Japan. They published their findings in the research journal, Cognition. Pain, chronic or otherwise, continues to be one of the major factors that impacts the quality of life that seniors experience. Understanding pain better will ultimately help doctors to treat it more effectively. Hopefully, this research and other projects of a similar nature will help to further this understanding and ultimately lead to better care for people dealing with pain, regardless of their age.

 

In the meantime, there are things that can be done to help improve the quality of life for those dealing with pain and discomfort. Exercise and physical therapy have both been shown to help with pain management. Additionally, mental health treatment, such as medication and counseling, has also been shown to help reduce pain in some instances, depending on the root causes of it.

 

If you’re unsure of how to best approach pain, it is really important that you work closely with a medical professional to give you accurate guidance. 

 

The right senior care might also help.

 

Senior care might not directly treat pain, but it can help ensure that an infrastructure is in place to better assist your loved one. If you’d like to learn more about how professional level care can help you and your family improve the quality of life that’s experienced, please let us know. We offer free consultation sessions designed to help answer your questions and get you pointed in the right direction. Give us a call today to schedule your conversation. The sooner you start, the closer you are to getting your loved one connected to the right care for their unique set of needs.