Why It Can Hurt To Be A Woman

I am so happy to be able to read all of these ladies stories

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.

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.

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!!!

From my experiences it seems that when a man is head of house they are most likely to be the ones refusing to go to the doctors even for a checkup and I know some people who go so many times they make themselves believe they are sick when they are not. As for the men who never go, it is not that they are stronger than women, but maybe they're just content with their lives. For women, we go through not just puberty but menstrual cycles, mid life crisis, menopausal...never ending cycles of pain & discomfort in our lives and we survive only to make us stronger.

so what your saying we all need to kick randome men in leg to even up the score?! i am totally board! look out fellas ;-)

To much stress can cause alot of health problems also.. Everyone tells me to chill out, but its easier said then done...

I believe that stress is the cause of most of what is wrong with women. We wear way more hats than we have ever had to and it takes its tole on us, physically. We also have bought into the myth that we HAVE to do it ALL. That somehow if we don't we are less of a woman. This causes terrible stress; and we know that stress makes pain worse. Having a good cry just won't do it any more.

I suffer with chronic pain, and I do notice that hormones play a role. So do other factors, like weather, and stress. I am also hesitant to medicate, and I don't talk about it much. I have two boys to look out for. Their safety comes before my comfort. My husband is like the other ones mentioned. When he doesn't feel well, his focus is on himself.

I forgot to add that a big difference between my husbands pain and my pain is that I will NOT take the pain meds that he takes because I have to keep myself in control and he never sees a problem with being "loopy" as one of my doctors told me!

There are many reasons doctors should take this into consideration. Like lacinda said women do have a higher tolerance for pain. Not only do we wait and wait until it gets bad (or possibly goes away) but we don't let the entire world know that we hurt like men do. Women also have the instinct built into them to always look out for others FIRST, meaning our children, husbands, dogs, parents, etc. are taken care of and then if we have any energy or time there may be time for US. Hormones are also a huge factor!

So true, women have a higher tolerance for pain. When we do finally complain to a doctor it is only because it is extremely bad. There is a bias in health care and women aren't treated adequately with pain...they tell her she has anxiety or depression. But a man gets his pain treated, just a horrible set up.

I'm sure they do. If men get as much as a sniffle, they act like their dying..

I complete believe in this because more women are taking on more and are the head of household. so this would create more symptons on us.