Women’s pain lasts longer than men’s, according to study

"It’s not in the mind.”

New research by Michigan State University indicates that men and women, in fact, do experience pain differently, with women more likely to report longer-lasting pain and a higher risk of developing chronic pain conditions.

It is believed that men's immune systems are better equipped to shut down pain, which is likely due to their higher testosterone levels.

The study found that men produced higher levels of interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory molecule that helps suppress pain signalling to the brain. The researchers also determined that this effect was driven primarily by immune cells rather than by processes within the brain itself.

The findings apply specifically to pain following surgery or physical trauma, and do not necessarily extend to other types of chronic pain conditions.

In the past, many doctors and medical experts have framed women's chronic pain as exaggerated or even hysterical; however, now this research finally challenges that narrative.

Experts stress that these findings are an important step in taking women's pain seriously.

Women don't 'complain more', our immune systems keep the pain volume up longer.

“What we show is, it’s a real biological mechanism from the immune cells. It’s not in the mind,” said Geoffroy Laumet, one of the study’s authors.

This study, conducted by researchers at Michigan State University, underscores the importance of advocating for ourselves in the doctor’s office while also offering hope for more effective, targeted treatments for chronic pain in the future.

“Future researchers can build on this work,” Laumet said. “This opens new avenues for non-opioid therapies aimed at preventing chronic pain before it’s established.”