Chronic pain (netdoktor.de) – Munich is unnerving. Including not only more frequently than men, women suffer, their suffering is also longer and more intense pain. The reported Jennifer Kelly of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine at the 118. annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.

Women often suffer from pain disorders such as Fibromylagie, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and migraine. Women have a higher risk to suffer at the same time several painful conditions. Thus increases the risk for serious psychological distress and possible disability.

Hormones are probably the reason for the obesity of female pain. An evidence of this is that the risk of pain for girls with puberty increase for boys but not. Also, it is known that estrogens have, for example, a significant impact on the development of migraine. “Also the tenderness with hormonal fluctuations varies during the menstrual cycle”, the psychologist reported.

In addition, that women experience more side effects if they are taking certain medications for pain. They talk to some studies suggest that even fundamentally worse on opioids, which are among the most effective means of joke.

Also in using pain differ the sexes, has observed the scientist: “Men focus more on the physical aspects of pain.” “Women, however, tend to focus on the emotional aspects.” In addition, that could increase the pain, because he is charged with negative emotions.

For the differences between men and women, we could blame although hormonal and genetic factors, Kelly stated “it is but increasingly clearer that social and psychological factors are equally important.”

For a more effective pain therapy, the expert recommends treating physicians:

• The patients to encourage to take an active role in the treatment and responsibility for their own welfare, for example, in the form of healthy eating and regular exercise
• The patient to offer psychological support or to give
• The patients to provide cognitive strategies to address the pain
• Relaxation training and biofeedback to offer

These recommendations apply of course not only for the treatment of women, but also for men who are plagued by pain. (cf)