Pain Tx Can Improve Cognition, Lift Depression : To get handle on extent of patients' pain, ask them direct questions and pay attention to nonverbal cues.

Regardless of whether patients live in the community or in a nursing home, treating their pain with opioids can raise concerns about sedation and cognitive impairment. The decision should involve an individualized risk-benefit analysis.

“While opioids do increase the risk of sedation, confusion, falls, and constipation, for some people the analgesia that results outweighs these potential risks–and cognition actually seems to improve,” he said. “Perhaps they are less distracted by pain and are better able to focus and concentrate.”

Health care professionals should regard persistent pain in the elderly as treatable, with the potential for improvement in many patients. “We need to get the word out that the management of pain should be moved up the priority list, because we can get these patients feeling and functioning better,” Dr. Karp said.