If you think getting older means living with chronic aches and discomfort, check again.

According to a new study done by the American Geriatrics Society, aging shouldn’t be a pain in the neck, or anywhere else.

The Patient Education Forum developed companion guides for consumers to help them track their medications, monitor symptoms and advocate for effective treatment.

Publications include “My Pain Diary,” a tool to help keep track of how and when pain is experienced; “My Medication and Supplement Diary,” a tool to record prescription, over-the-counter and dietary supplements being used; “Know Your Medications,” a guide to different types of pain medications and possible interactions and side effects; and “Assessing Pain in Loved Ones With Dementia.”

Keeping a “pain diary” in between doctor visits, for example, can help a health-care provider make a diagnosis and plan effective treatment options. Entries should include:

• Where it hurts, how often it hurts and how much it hurts.
• What the pain feels like. (Is it sharp, dull or shooting pain? Does it ache, burn or feel like pins and needles?)
• What causes the pain to worsen, and what (if anything) makes the pain go away.
• What medications or treatments have been tried, how well did they work and what side effects (if any) were experienced.

Experts say even though persistent pain is very common in older individuals, it isn’t normal or healthy and shouldn’t be accepted – or dismissed – as part of getting older.

For copies of publications, visit www.healthinaging.org or call the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging at (800) 563-4916.