Gender differences in response to pain
Graven-Nielsen, T.; Arendt-Nielsen, L.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 169(25): 2425-2427
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1603-6824 PMID: 17594835 Document Number: 608933
Gender differences in response to pain have implications for several chronic pain conditions. Lower pain thresholds to various pain modalities have been reported in females compared to males, and differences in pain sensitivity are found across the menstrual phases. Furthermore, the descending pain control seems less efficient in females. The response to pharmacological interventions, e.g. opioid analgesia or NSAID treatment, may be gender-dependent but more studies are needed. The gender difference in pain sensitivity might partly be linked to the female sex hormones but is also dependent on a complex interaction between psychosocial and physiological factors.