Stinging in the Pain

A study says that compared to men, women feel pain in more areas of the body and for longer

Which is the weaker sex when it comes to pain? A study says that compared to men, women feel pain in more areas of the body and for longer. In one study, scientists interviewed patients in a pain management programme. Though the programme reduced chronic pain for all subjects, in follow-up exams, the women reported pain levels as high as before the treatment whereas improvements among men lasted longer. In another study, volunteers put their arms in an ice-water bath. Men were found to have higher pain thresholds (the point where they began to feel pain), as well as higher pain tolerance (the point where it became too much). Part of pain perception is dependent on the genetic and biochemical differences between men and women. Women report varying pain experiences through their menstrual cycle, when estrogen levels vary. Moreover, pregnant women—who often have elevated estrogen levels—can tolerate the intense physical pain of childbirth. Testosterone may have a similar protective effect for men.

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