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Osteoporosis and chronic pain

Long-Term Care Nursing Advisor, May 6, 2005

Osteoporosis can lead to painful fractures. In some cases, pain will contine even after the fracture has healed. This pain may be caused by muscle weakness, spasms, or stiffness.

If a resident has osteoporosis-related chronic pain, consider some of the following treatments suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): Using electrical impulses, TENS machines can relieve chronic pain by preventing pain messages from being transmitted to the brain.

Exercise: Exercise can alleviate pain by strengthening muscles and increasing flexibility.

Biofeedback: Use biofeedback to help residents learn how to control muscle tension, which may help combat chronic pain.

Pain medications: Another option to treat chronic pain is medication. For chronic pain relief, use aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprophen when appropriate. The CDC also notes that antidepressants can sometimes alleviate chronic pain when all other forms of medication have proved to be ineffective.

 

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