Chronic Pain in Women

Pain in Women
A Unique Perspective

Pain in women is not entirely the same as it is in men; no surprise there. If you are a woman with chronic pain, you also won't be surprised when I tell you that until very recently there has been little or no attempt to understand how women's pain might differ from men's. This area of research is expanding, but there is still a lot to be learned about how to address women's specific pain needs. Let's take a look at what some of the early research is showing.

The Role of Hormones

Research is beginning to show that women experience pain in different ways, and for different reasons, than men (and no, I'm not referring to menstrual pain). One radical difference being researched has to do with the role of hormones on pain perception. Estrogen and testosterone both affect the central nervous system, which is critical in transmitting and receiving pain sensations. Some researchers suggest that this is why women have a much higher incidence of irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis, and headaches.
Hormones may also play a role in other type of pain in women, including inflammatory conditions such as sciatica, endometriosis, and other types of pelvic pain.

Role of the Immune System

yoga, immune system, relaxation
There also appear to be significant differences between the immune systems of men and women. Women tend to have stronger and more alert immune systems. Because of this strength, women's immune systems are more likely to attack themselves, possibly causing those diseases thought to be related to over-reactive immune systems - chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, various kinds of pelvic pain, and irritable bowel, all of which come with chronic pain.
Pregnancy and Back Pain

Low back pain is a frequent problem during pregnancy. Our page on Back Pain and Pregnancy give information on how to prevent and treat back pain during pregnancy, and signs that you need to see your doctor.
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

Two of these immune system related conditions that have recently received a lot of attention include fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Pain in women is often associated with these two conditions, which occur in women six times more often than men.
After many years of being dismissed, ignored and misunderstood, there has finally been an increase in attention paid to these diagnoses. There has been more attention from the Center for Disease Control to letting women know about these diseases, and there has likely been more research into finding treatments. Follow this link to find out more about fibromyalgia treatment.

Women and Headaches

Twice as many women have migraines compared to men; the same holds true for other types of headaches. This link will take you to our page on chronic headache pain.
"Female Pain" and Breaking Down Stereotypes

Women for years have not been taken seriously when they complain about chronic pain. With a wife and two daughters, I've seen it happen too often. There is an unfair bias that women maybe "too emotional" or "histrionic," and this is used as a reason to avoid or minimize the seriousness of pain. This is especially true in the case of pelvic pain, which is often very hard to pinpoint and describe. Too often women in pain have discovered that not enough time is taken to sort through the alternatives and come up with a good diagnosis and plan of care.
While more practitioners are becoming aware of concerns and conditions related to pain in women, women still need to be very vigilant about seeking our doctors who have current training and are open to considering all options. It is important to organize your questions and concerns, make a list, and advocate for yourself. Ask you doctor what tests can be done to determine the source of the problem. As long as you are in pain, don't take "I don't know" or "no" as a final answer. There are more tips on working with your doctor on our page on Pain Education.

Medical Treatment for Women's Pain

You may use some combination of over-the-counter pain and prescription medications. Medical treatment should also be combined with alternative treatments to minimize risk of side effects, and to provide balanced overall wellness.
In addition to medication, other medical interventions include injections, including fairly recent use of Botox injections for pain.

Alternative Treatments - Women's Pain

If you are a woman with chronic pain, you can benefit from many of the same alternative treatments I describe throughout this site. Pain in women can specifically be helped by use of:
*Acupuncture

*Massage Therapy

*Progressive Exercise

*Relaxation Training

*Yoga

*Cognitive Therapy for Associated Depression

In addition to those options, here is some information about using TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to manage pain.