Do you age faster if you have chronic pain?

The available studies provide no direct evidence that chronic pain, in and of itself, accelerates biological ageing. Science describes chronic pain as a condition with major physical, psychological and social consequences, but a direct link to ageing processes such as cellular senescence or DNA damage is absent from the literature examined.

What is well supported is that physical inactivity, which is very common among people with chronic pain, is strongly associated with accelerated physical decline and a shorter life expectancy. Inactivity also increases the risk of around 35 different conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, muscle loss and cognitive decline. If chronic pain limits your mobility, those consequences can certainly occur by that route, but it is the inactivity itself that is responsible, not the pain directly.

Regarding the treatment of chronic pain, research shows that cannabis-based medicines can reduce pain by at least thirty percent in approximately thirty percent of people. That is a meaningful effect. However, these medicines also come with serious side effects: psychological complaints, gastrointestinal problems and drowsiness are frequently reported, and tolerability is moderate. They are therefore not a carefree option.

In short: whether chronic pain directly accelerates ageing cannot be determined on the basis of current studies. What you can influence is the physical inactivity that often accompanies it. Continuing to move, or returning to movement, even in an adapted form, appears on the basis of available research to be the most concrete way to limit the broader health damage.