[Psychological diagnosis of pain and pain treatment in the elderly].

Chronic pain is one of the most common complaints in the elderly, associated with much impairment of quality of life. Up to now clinical research has focused little attention on pain in old age. Pain is often classified as an inevitable epiphenomena in the elderly. But present studies show that differences between older and younger patients appear less important than similarities. The studies also make evident that proved psychological pain management is transferable to elderly patients. The knowledge of effective psychological treatment in case of chronic pain in the elderly has been seldom realized in clinical practice.