Share

Persistent pain may lead to memory problems

accreditation
iStock

Pain is different for each individual and can range from dull pain to shooting pains that make you cry out.

But pain not only manifests physically. Pain that continues, day in and day out, may trigger an unexpected and unwanted side effect – a bigger risk of mental decline and dementia, a new study suggests.

The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Only an association

According to a Health24 article, the simple misuse of painkillers in treating pain can lead to an addiction of more serious substances like heroin.

The findings suggest that chronic pain may be related to changes in the brain that contribute to memory problems. The findings may also point to new ways to protect age-related mental decline, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers said.

However, it's important to note that the study wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship. It can only show an association between pain and memory issues.

The study included information on more than 10 000 people. All of the study participants were 60 and older.

Those who had moderate or severe chronic pain in both 1998 and 2000 had more than a 9% faster decline on memory tests over the next 10 years than those who didn't have pain.

Maintaining cognition

The decrease in memory would likely be enough to affect people's ability to do things such as manage their finances or keep track of their medications, the researchers said.

Patients with chronic pain also had a small but significantly increased risk of developing dementia, the study found.

"Elderly people need to maintain their cognition to stay independent," study first author Dr Elizabeth Whitlock, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of anaesthesia and perioperative care, said in a UCSF news release.

"Up to one in three older people suffer from chronic pain, so understanding the relationship between pain and cognitive decline is an important first step toward finding ways to help this population."

Are you addicted to painkillers? Take the quiz and find out here:

Read more:

What is pain?

The importance of feeling pain

What is chronic pain?

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE