Pain can have different causes.

• Pain related to muscles, bones, and organs results from an injury or disease. Often it stays in one area and treatment helps.
• Pain caused by damaged nerves or the brain can feel different.  The location of this pain can be hard to identify. This type of pain often is hard to treat.
• Pain that happens with no clear cause

Many older adults live with at least one common illness that causes pain. These common conditions include:

• Joint diseases (arthritis)
• Diabetes
• Shingles
• Teeth or gum issues
• Stroke
• Cancer 
• Muscle and blood vessel diseases
• Bone conditions

Last Updated December 2022