Pain management disparities between men & women
Men have less pain than women, but they receive more pain management. What contributes to this discrepancy?
While we know that women experience more chronic pain conditions than men, women receive less pain management than men. Endometriosis, fibromyalgia, migraines, IBS, bladder infections, etc. are far more common in women, leading to one thought that chronicity of the pain could be attributed to the pain management discrepancy. However, post operatively, women are more likely to receive sedatives than pain medication. In these acute pain situations, women are also not treated equally (and maybe not adequately!).
Researchers believe the discrepancy is partly due to the fact that women are more adaptable and continue to work through their pain, while men have a harder time continuing with their tasks while in pain. In addition, women and men are biologically different and sex hormones are thought to contribute to varied rates of pain perception. We also can't ignore practitioner bias that clouds the judgment of even the most ethical provider.
So, how can we as providers and you as patients advocate for pain management inequalities in medicine?
Many of our patients turn to Chinese Medicine because it is the only form of relief they can receive, but also because we’re sometimes the first clinic they feel have acknowledged their pain. Find a practice that LISTENS to you to help ease your pain.
Researchers found that PCAs (patient controlled analgesia) were used less in women than in men on average. Why? Often when people have an exit strategy for pain management the fear lessens and helps decrease pain! Have options for pain exit strategies to help you feel more comfortable even if you don’t end up using it.
It can be helpful to have another person with you at your appointment to help you advocate for yourself. Write a journal of your pain, what you’ve tried, times of day your pain is worse and advocate for yourself as clearly as you can.
For now, we acknowledge that it STINKS that anyone has to wonder whether a pain management provider is taking your pain seriously. Hopefully continuing to educate practitioners and patients alike, we will see these gender pain management differences disappear in our world. Until then, keep putting yourself first and listen to your instincts about how you'd like your pain to be managed
—Emily
Emily has her Doctorate of Acupuncture from Pacific College of Health and Science and a Master of Pain Management from Tufts Medical School and continues to study Pain & Fertility whenever she can.
Pieretti S, Di Giannuario A, Di Giovannandrea R, Marzoli F, Piccaro G, Minosi P, Aloisi AM. Gender differences in pain and its relief. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2016 Apr-Jun;52(2):184-9. doi: 10.4415/ANN_16_02_09. PMID: 27364392.