I’m 52-years old and starting to have some back pain that won’t go away. It’s really taking a toll on what I can and can’t do. I notice that my 83-year old aunt, who has had chronic low back pain for the past 10 years, complains about the pain but gets along without any apparent difficulty. How do you explain this?

Others have noticed this difference in response to pain between older and younger adults. Yet studies show that chronic pain is a common symptom in adults over the age of 65. And pain interferes with daily life more as we get older.

Not much study has been done to explain the impact of pain on behavior and function in older adults. Much more focus has been placed on working-aged adults. This is most likely because of the costs linked with work-related disability.

A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh focused on adults aged 65 to 84. Half the group had chronic (daily) pain lasting at least three months. The other half didn’t have any pain. Everyone was tested using 22 different measures of physical and mental health.

It turns out our elders are affected by pain more than it would seem. But they often have so many other problems that it’s not clear what impacts their pain the most. Sleep disturbances, mood disorders such as depression, and the effects of medications top the list of other factors impacting their health.

And older adults have had more time to get used to the increased aches and pains that develop over the years. They may be able to cope better with pain because they expect it as part of the aging process.

Both of these factors together may account for why older adults move and function more normally than younger adults with similar symptoms.