Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Women More Sensitive Than Men Feel the Pain

Men and women often have different perceptions of pain. Some pain conditions are also known to be associated with fibromyalgia, migraine and irritable bowel syndrome which was more common in women than men.

Chronic pain after childbirth is a common thing for women. But the Institute of Medicine found 18 percent of women who gave birth to a cesarean and 10 percent of women who give birth normally, still feel the pain a year later.

New research from Stanford University showed that when men and women have the same condition, such as back problems, arthritis or sinus infection, women are usually more visible pain.

A total of 21 of the 22 diseases studied, researchers found women who reported a pain level higher than men. Women reported pain levels were significantly higher with diabetes, hypertension, ankle injuries and even sinus infections.

For some diagnoses, the average pain scores of women at least one point higher than the male. These results are clinically meaningful differences.

Degree of pain women participants 20 percent higher than men. However, the data do not provide clues as to why women report higher levels of pain.

One possibility is that men have been socialized to be more resilient, so that they minimize the pain.

However, should we think about biological causes for differences in levels of pain in men and women.

A report in 2007 by the International Association for the Study of Pain suggests that sex hormones may play a role in pain responses. In fact, some gender differences, particularly concerning headaches and abdominal pain, began to decrease after a woman reaches menopause.

The results also showed that men and women have different responses to anesthesia and pain medications, which in varying degrees of efficacy and side effects. Men and women usually have different thresholds for different types of pain.

Women reported pain levels are higher due to pressure and electrical stimulation, but not feel pain when the source of heat. Some researchers believe the experience of pain for women may be even more complicated.

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