Hormones regulate our systems in the inner workings of how our body is built. Hormones are also involved in biological mechanisms that play a critical role in how women and men feel pain. It was just ten years ago that researchers recognized that female mice responded differently to pokes and prods then male mice. This moment spurred the discovery that pain pathways can vary significantly, and has us now exploring the differences between male pain and female pain.
This discovery was only made because a researcher bucked the trend and included female mice in his research, which was not common practice. If we are going to make an exact change in pain management for women, women need to be a part of trials. If men don't feel the same pain, we are going to need to adjust how we treat women's pain.Gender is societal.
This issue of gender expectations is critical. Women with chronic pain are more likely to be wrongly diagnosed with mental health conditions than men and be prescribed psychotropic drugs. We also know that women are more likely to be prescribed prescription pain medicines, be given higher doses, and remain on them for longer. And women are less likely to remain on a treatment plan that conflicts with other responsibilities.