Baby Boomers, the oldest of who turned 60 in 2006, are not at all interested in the typical life of their parents / grandparents – years of pain and misery.

In fact, Boomers, 20% of whom will be turning 60 by 2011 are like no other generation. They have and are more active and more determined to push themselves to higher levels of sustained performance and productivity that any generation before them.

Nicholas DiNubile, MD, orthopedic surgeon writes in his book Framework – Your 7 Steps for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints says that while boomers have pushed the limits in their youth and are likely to experience more pain as a result, most know that they can control their “age clock” and are determined to do whatever and spend whatever is necessary to live a long, healthy and pain-free life.

The source of pain could be an old sports injury or a neurological disorder. According to the American Chronic Pain Association “pain is a silent epidemic in the United States with approximately 50 million Americans living with chronic pain caused by disease, disorder, or accident

An additional 25 million people suffer acute pain resulting from surgery or accident. Approximately two thirds of these individuals have been living with their pain for more than 5 years.

Boomers less accepting of the aging process and in fact the current mantra of “60 is the new 40” give a clear picture of how boomers see themselves whether its realistic or not.

In dealing with their inevitable pain, whether chronic or acute, boomers are looking for only on thing – relief.

To what degree they will go to relieve the discomfort varies based on the amount of pain they are in to begin with, their pain threshold, and their expectations regarding pain management.

There are many ways to treat pain, including over the counter and prescription medications and pharmaceuticals. In addition, for more serious and intractable pain, injections and pain blocking are frequently sought after remedies. Injections are performed by pain manage specialists and take the form of injections at various levels of the spine, or directly in affected joints.

Nerve blocking can be accomplished by chemical, thermal, and electrical methods and of course must be performed by trained physician specialists. Acupuncture which has become very popular for pain management would be considered a form of “blocking.”

But before we put the cart before the horse, most pain can be controlled by a combination of risk assessment and management within a comprehensive health and wellness program focused on proper exercise, nutrition, supplementation and over the counter remedies – all of which should be pursued as the first step in optimize form and function and minimizing pain as boomers age.

To find our more information about how to maintain optimal health and wellness, go to Consumer Directed Health and Wellness