Being a woman just got a little harder. A new study shows that women experience more pain over a lifetime than men and the pain women feel is often more intense and long-lasting. A recent article from CNN discusses what doctors have found and what it means to women. Though researchers are unsure exactly why women have more recurrent pain and disabilities from pain, one theory has a lot to do with hormones. Jennifer Kelly, from the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Georgia, discusses this theory and how the menstrual cycle often has a lot to do with discomfort for women who suffer from recurrent pains. Interestingly, scientists found that a woman’s brain structure actually changes significantly when they suffer from menstrual cramps.
And what could be making pain worse for women is that we tend to focus on the emotional aspects of the pain which could lead to depression. Men have been found to only focus on the sensory issues rather than worrying how the pain may effect their responsibilities like women do.
Since we seem to deal with pain differently, it only makes sense that doctors shouldn’t treat men and women pain sufferers in the same way. Dr. Chaim Putterman, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, discusses why he agress that doctors should consider gender when treating a patient with chronic pain. Dr. Putterman says, “We may be doing our patients a disservice by doing it that way, and perhaps there are gender-specific influences that need to be taken into account that we’re not taking into account.”
What do you think of the new studies showing women suffer from more pain than men?
Do you think doctors should take this into consideration when treating patients?
I have a wonderful doctor,her name is Amy EuBanks,I just love her.I'm a single parent & raised my kids my self. I have a lot of health problems,I worked for 10 years in pain every day.I went to doctor after doctor of course they were men.Every one of them said there wasn't anything wrong with me.I was even told one time,by a man doctor that I couldn't be in that much pain.Finally I went to see Dr,EuBanks,she worked with me,she let me cry on her shoulder.But she found out that I have Fibromyalgia,Degenerative Disc Disease,& 2 protruding discs.Also I have arthritis in my back,my hip & knee.I'm on disability now with Social Security & I take a ton of pills.THe point is she took the time to find out what was wrong with me,not like the men doctors. It all wasn't in my head,I was truly in severe pain,but I worked anyway for my kids.Ya,women can tolerate a lot more pain than a man!!!
wordwrangler::
on Sep 18, 2010
I am not so sure we experience more pain than men; however, I do believe that we experience pain differently than men do. Like others said, we have menstrual cramps, go through labor and delivery, and often have to keep going even when we are in pain, because as mothers our jobs never end. I also know from experience that many doctors tend to look at women who suffer from invisible disabilities as whiners or hypochondriacs. It took me almost a year to get even somewhat effective treatment for my chronic pain condition. I was even dumped by one doctor who belonged to a clinic that treated my specific kind of pain.
wordwrangler::
on Sep 18, 2010
Fortunately, I have progressed and now have a neurologist who believes me, a psychiatrist who listens to me, and a pain management physician/nurse practitioner who works with me to maintain what I feel is an acceptable and manageable level of pain on a daily basis. It does help that I keep them posted on my own efforts to manage my pain non-pharmaceutically by exercising, keeping track of my eating habits, and trying to get enough sleep.
I think we are looked at differently than men when it comes to pain, and I am not sure it will ever change.
mindymule::
on Sep 18, 2010
I am so happy to be able to read all of these ladies stories
