According to new research, women are more sensitive to chronic pain than men, and this difference may be explained by biological factors in the immune system.
Women are more sensitive to chronic pain than men, and this difference can be explained by biological factors in the immune system.
A study published in the journal Science Immunology suggests that pain in women has long been downplayed, as many people believe women are weaker and more sensitive.
However, this study indicates that differences in pain perception between the sexes are real and have biological mechanisms to explain them.
Pain typically occurs when nerve cells react to physical stimuli such as impacts or falls. Chronic pain, however, is different. It is persistent and not caused by obvious external factors. Women account for approximately 60-70% of patients with chronic pain.
A research team at the University of Michigan investigated how monocytes, immune cells, reduce pain. These cells communicate with nerve cells and help alleviate pain sensations by producing interleukin 10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory substance.
Initially, the study did not aim to find differences in pain sensation between the sexes, but the results showed that pain lasted longer in female mice than in male mice. This is because the immune cells in the female mice's bodies were less active than in male mice, possibly due to the higher testosterone levels in males.
This is an important finding because it opens up new treatment possibilities by stimulating the activity of immune cells or increasing IL-10 production to reduce pain.
The study also showed that topical testosterone may help reduce localized pain.
The research team hopes that a better understanding of the mechanisms of chronic pain in women will help develop more effective treatments, reducing the use of opioid painkillers, which have many side effects and a high risk of addiction. This could also help change how women perceive pain, which is often perceived as "exaggerated."
Both study author Geoffroy Laumet and researcher Elora Midavaine of the University of California, San Francisco (USA) hope that advances in science will help women receive more equitable healthcare, especially in the treatment of chronic pain.
This study also sheds light on why women's health research has received less attention than it should for decades. Women were often excluded from clinical trials, and many pain studies were conducted only on male animals due to the belief that female hormones could cause too much volatility.
Furthermore, pain symptoms in women are often misunderstood as emotional or psychological issues, rather than having a clear biological cause. However, with advancements in science, these outdated notions will gradually be replaced, helping women receive better care.