Elder beliefs: blocks to pain management

Elderly patients have beliefs that, if not incorporated into the pain assessment, can block pain management by interfering with the patient's willingness to acknowledge pain and provide complete and accurate information about the pain experience. Patient beliefs that can block pain management include beliefs about self-concept and the aging process; the patient role; health professionals; pain; and consequences of treatment, including addiction, xerostomia, falls, constipation, and sexual and personality problems. Optimal pain management in the elderly is based on a complete assessment of pain, which may take several patient-nurse visits. Patients tend to reveal more information about health problems with succeeding visits, even if the patient is seen by a different person each time.