As people age, their bodies change in a variety of different ways. In the early years of adult life, fitness levels are likely to be near or at their peak. This is around the time that sport can be enjoyed at the highest possible level, typically between 19 and 30 years of age. After most adults enter their late twenties and into their early thirties, fitness levels start to decline. At first, it may be difficult to notice this decline, although it may become more apparent that fitness and endurance levels have reduced over time.
Many people find that they suffer more from aches and pains during middle age. This is an accepted part of growing older and demonstrates that the body is losing strength and flexibility. However, it is important to note that there are a variety of ways to approach the subject of pain management in adults and a range of solutions that may be suitable. In this article, three ways of approaching pain management will be discussed.
Over-the-counter pain relief
One of the most common ways to gain relief from minor to moderate aches and pains is to get over-the-counter medications. Commonly, this will consist of treatments in tablet or sachet form that contain aspirin, ibuprofen, or paracetamol as the active ingredient in managing pain.
One top tip when buying over-the-counter pain medications is choosing a shop or supermarket’s “own brand” products. Typically, these are significantly cheaper than the market-leading brands and tend to contain the same levels of active ingredients. Branded pain relief is more expensive becausethese companies spend large amounts of money on advertisingtheir products. These costs must then be added to the final price for the consumer.
Medicinal cannabis
The topic of using medicinal cannabis as a source of pain relief is controversial. This is because cannabis is still considered an illicit drug in the UK and is often taken recreationally by users. However, in November 2018, the law changed to allow the medical prescribing of cannabis in certain pre-approved circumstances. It may be possible to gain a cannabis card UK that allows the person to receive medical-grade cannabis for some forms of pain relief.
However, it is expected that the person will need to demonstrate that other forms of medication have not been successful in treating the pain that they are experiencing, and an approval process will need to be followed. At present, only a small proportion of the population are eligible to receive cannabis legally for pain management purposes. Given the nature of the drug, it is a divisive topic, and the next decade will largely determine if there will be a more widespread rollout of prescribed cannabis.
Physiotherapy
As a brief final point on pain management, many adults who experience musculoskeletal pain as the result of sporting injuries seek the help of a qualified physiotherapist. These healthcare professionals will be able to offer patients a range of treatment options based on the nature of the injury.
Many are designed to promote the return of effective limb and muscle movement following an injury by using forms of massage and specific exercise plans that rebuild strength and mobility.
