Chronic pain – thought by many to be a normal part of aging – may actually be more dangerous than previously regarded, according to new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers in Boston say people over 70 years old with chronic pain have an increased risk of suffering from falls.

"Our findings showed that older adults who reported chronic musculoskeletal pain in two or more locations – mainly in the joints of the arms and legs – as well as individuals who reported more severe pain or pain that interfered with daily activities were more likely to experience a fall than other individuals," said the study’s lead author Dr Suzanne Leveille.

Leveille and her colleagues followed 749 adults over the age of 70 for 18 months for the study. Participants reported a total of 1,029 falls overall, with those with pain in two or more joints having a 50 percent greater chance of falling than those without pain.

Chronic pain is believed to affect as many as two out of three older adults. According to the Mayo Clinic, among some of the natural treatments for joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin, acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.