Gender differences in pain have been studied for years, and multiple reports continue to support the notion that women feel pain more frequently and more powerfully than men do. At Southwest Spine and Pain Center, our providers keep this fact in mind as we treat patients of different genders.
Southwest Spine and Pain Center is the leading pain specialist group in Utah, with four locations statewide. Cedar City, Richfield, St. George, and Logan host Southwest Spine and Pain’s Centers, providing suffering patients with better access to care.
One way Southwest Spine and Pain prevails in managing chronic pain is understanding gender differences. Estrogen and testosterone play a role in how men and women receive pain signals, as well as psychology and culture. As children, this factor is important. If you were coddled and comforted when you were hurt as a child, you may perceive pain as more threatening. If you were taught to dismiss pain and tough it out, you may have a higher pain tolerance.
Researchers and physicians will agree that more women seek help and recover more quickly from pain than men. Women are also more likely to pursue a variety of pain relieving treatments including the use of coping skills, support groups, and Eastern/Western therapies such as acupuncture.
One study injected male mice with estrogen, the female sex hormone, to examine how they tolerated pain. The researchers observed that the mice had lower pain tolerances as well as a lower pain threshold. In the same respect, female mice were injected with testosterone, the male sex hormone, and it appeared that the mice had a higher pain threshold and pain tolerance.
Future research and studies will look to uncover the exact reason why pain perceptions are different. While factors such as sex hormone, cultural, and psychological differences continue to support gender variances, more definitive research will have to support this theory. For more information on the Southwest Spine and Pain Care model or to schedule an appointment for your pain concerns, contact a Southwest Spine and Pain representative today.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
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