Gender differences in pain and its relief

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Abstract

There is much evidence to suggest that gender is an important factor in the modulation of pain. Literature data strongly suggest that men and women differ in their responses to pain: they are more variable in women than men, with increased pain sensitivity and many more painful diseases commonly reported among women. Gender differences in pharmacological therapy and non-pharmacological pain interventions have also been reported, but these effects appear to depend on the treatment type and characteristics. It is becoming very evident that gender differences in pain and its relief arise from an interaction of genetic, anatomical, physiological, neuronal, hormonal, psychological and social factors which modulate pain differently in the sexes. Experimental data indicate that both a different modulation of the endogenous opioid system and sex hormones are factors influencing pain sensitivity in males and females. This brief review will examine the literature on sex differences in experimental and clinical pain, focusing on several biological mechanisms implicated in the observed gender-related differences.

 

 

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Authors

Stefano Pieretti

Amalia Di Giannuario

Rita Di Giovannandrea

Francesca Marzoli

Francesca Marzoli

Giovanni Piccaro

Paola Minosi

Anna Maria Aloisi

How to Cite
Pieretti, S., Di Giannuario, A., Di Giovannandrea, R., Marzoli, F., Marzoli, F., Piccaro, G., … Aloisi, A. M. (2016). Gender differences in pain and its relief. Annali dell’Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, 52(2), 184–189. Retrieved from https://annali.iss.it/index.php/anna/article/view/422
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