By LJ Brooks-Estrada, DPT, CLT
Pain is a serious and costly public health issue. The National Institutes of Health calls pain "the universal disorder." In its most benign form, pain warns us that something isn’t quite right, that we should pay attention, take medicine, or see a doctor. At its worst, pain robs us of our productivity, well-being, and, for many who suffer from extended illness, it dramatically affects how we live our lives.
Pain is complex and how it is experienced differs enormously among individuals. Even those who have identical injuries or illnesses will experience pain differently. It can be difficult for a physician to determine the amount of pain a patient is experiencing because there are no tests or imaging devices that can show pain. Also, it is difficult to precisely locate pain. Doctors often must rely on a patient's own description of the type, duration, and location of pain.
Our team of therapists and wellness professionals are passionate about advocating for public health and want to bring the crucial issue of pain to the forefront because it affects so many individuals. Interestingly, there are studies that have shown that men and women who suffer from chronic pain and seek medical help are less likely to receive treatment if they have been constantly asking for pain medications.
In addition, it is now widely believed that pain affects men and women differently. Based on the National Institute of Health, Women (27%) seek help for pain more frequently than men (24%) and are less likely to receive treatment based on biases that women can handle more pain or are exaggerating their pain level. This study shows women experience more pain (lower threshold and tolerance) than men. They are more prone to chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia, pelvic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and migraines. Additional research has concluded that after experiencing a similar trauma, women are more likely than men to develop a chronic pain syndrome. Luckily, women are more likely to actively respond to ways to reduce pain by seeking help more quickly and utilizing health-related activities such as physical therapy, nutrition, physical activity, and acupuncture.
Many researchers are beginning to focus more on the study of gender differences and pain. Research in this area is yielding fascinating results. For example, male animals injected with estrogen appear to have a lower tolerance for pain, and similarly, testosterone elevates tolerance for pain in female mice. Women may also be at greater risk for a pain-related disability than men.
The big question is what we do with this research and information. To start, the medical community needs to recognize these biases and develop innovative ways to help manage chronic pain for men and for women. At Virginian Rehabilitation and Wellness, we have many tools to manage pain. One of our newer more innovative tools is the Neubie. The Neubie is an FDA-cleared system that uses electrical stimulation to bring about neuromotor change. Electrical stimulation has been around for a while but what makes the Neubie different from traditional e-stim is the type of electrical current utilized. The Neubie utilizes pulsed direct current (DC) instead of alternating current (AC). Direct current is the same type of electrical current our muscles and nerves use to send messages and communicate. Utilizing DC is shown to have numerous positive biological effects, including accelerating the body's healing and repair processes and improving neuromuscular system function.
We are ready to help you live a pain-free quality life.
References:
Hoffman DE, Tarzian AJ. The girl who cried pain: A bias against women in the treatment of pain." J Law Med Ethics. 2001; 29: 13-27.
National Institute of Health. N/A. NIH Pain Consortium Gender and Pain. 1998
http://painconsortium.nih.gov/genderandpain/future.htm
"Pain: Hope Through Research," NINDS. Publication date December 2001. NIH Publication No. 01-240