Pain is one of the most subjective and often one of the most challenging symptoms to treat. Of course, there are a wide spectrum of prescription pain killers available, but these often increase one’s risk of adverse effects, including the risk of\u00a0 possible opioid abuse.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not \u2014 each year, approximately 29,000 Americans die due to opioid overdose. Although these medications most certainly provide use within mental healthcare<\/a>, it’s important to explore all your options, before you reach for potent drugs \u2014 especially for the elderly.<\/p>\n Considering around 50 percent of the 35 million dementia patients around the globe, suffer from pain, it’s important that we find not only effective, but safe solutions.<\/p>\n Is Your Loved One In Pain?<\/strong><\/p>\n For those who care for someone with dementia, you know that communication can be challenging. This is why education is so important \u2014 the more you know, the better prepared you’ll be.<\/p>\n As changes occur in the brain, this can affect pain perception, leading to behavioral symptoms that are often caused by discomfort<\/strong>. Take agitation or aggression, for instance, as these symptoms often lead to the inappropriate use of anti-psychotics.<\/p>\n Although behavioral symptoms are common among Alzheimer’s patients, they may be a direct reaction to increasing pain levels. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n Please be aware of potential signs, including:<\/p>\n It’s important to recognize these signs, as untreated pain not only leads to suffering, but as mentioned, inappropriate treatments. Instead of being prescribed anti psychotics for aggressive outbursts, the solution may be treating underlying pain. In turn, this can alleviate problematic behaviors.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n How Do I Help?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you suspect that the individual you’re caring for is in pain, naturally, you’ll want to help them. Although medications are often our first-line of defense, there are not your only option. Before you opt for prescription drugs, go through the following steps.<\/p>\n Using Ginseng And Bacopa Monnieri<\/strong><\/p>\n As long as herbal remedies do not interact with any critical medications, they are most certainly worth trying. Depending on the source of one’s pain, there are certain foods and exercises that can be implemented into one’s daily routine. Two options, that are often used to treat vascular dementia, can also address pain:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>The takeaway here is that there ARE options available. It’s important to explore all possible avenues, focusing on the root cause of one’s pain. For more information and a list of resources, please visit Geriatric Pain<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n References<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.pssru.ac.uk\/pdf\/MCpdfs\/Pain_factsheet.pdf https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3817007\/<\/p>\n \r\n\t\n
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