Psychological interventions may offer some benefit to older patients with chronic pain, according to a meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers analysed 22 randomised trials of cognitive behavioural therapies among 2,600 patients (mean age, 60 years or older) who experienced chronic pain lasting 3 months or longer. Pain from chronic headache or cancer was excluded.

Following a mean 9 weeks' treatment, patients in the treatment groups had slightly better scores on pain intensity, catastrophizing beliefs, and self-efficacy in pain management, compared with patients in the control groups. Group-based interventions tended to perform better than individual therapies.

The researchers wrote: "Clinicians should learn and share with patients basic information about psychological approaches to managing pain. Inquiring about patients' treatment expectations, including perceived benefits and potential harms, is also important. Leveraging social supports to encourage patients' continued use of psychological techniques (e.g., distraction, relaxation techniques) over time is also warranted."