Pain is defined by The International Association for the Study of Pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage. In the elderly many complex issues may contribute to the emotional experience of pain including: a long history of various pain experiences, multiple chronic comorbid conditions, proximity to death, dependency issues and family support issues.
Presbyalgos is defined as advanced age systematically influencing pain sensitivity and perception in the later years of life. Over the last century, the life expectancy has increased from 48 years to 76 years in the United States of America. An increasing number of people are growing into the seventh, eighth and ninth decades. Studies have shown a peak or plateau on the prevalence of pain by 65 years of age. There is then a decline in reported pain after 75 years, even though there is an age related increase in diseases associated with pain (e.g. degenerative joint disease).
During this decade the increase in the elderly population will be moderate. However, between 2010 and 2030 the 'baby boomer' population will begin entering the over-65 generation. The expected population in this age group by 2030 will be between 19% and 21% of the total population.
