Men feel less pain when a woman inflicts it
NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — Gender may have an unusual influence on how we perceive pain, according to recent research from Lund University in Sweden. These discoveries, made by Anna Sellgren Engskov, PhD, challenge conventional wisdom about pain perception and may have important implications for medical practice.
One study by Sellgren Engskov and her team found that men required greater pain stimulation to reach the required threshold when the pain was caused by a woman. This observation has led scientists to closely examine the influence of gender on pain perception.
The researchers conducted several experiments in which volunteers of both sexes participated. In the first experiment, healthy participants were given pain using laser stimulation on their feet. And the results were striking: men required more intense stimulation to reach the pain threshold when the pain was caused by a woman.
Similar results were found in a follow-up study where participants inflicted pain on themselves using electric current. Even under the same conditions and neutral behavior of the researchers, male and female participants required stronger stimulation to feel pain when the pain was caused by a woman.
What could explain such a difference? The researchers suggest that one factor may be women’s greater capacity for empathy. This can manifest itself in nonverbal ways, such as smiling or eye contact, and influence patients’ perception of pain.
There are studies that support this hypothesis, as well as studies that indicate better outcomes when patients are treated by female physicians.
However, despite the interesting results, the researchers admit that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions. Additional research is required to better understand this phenomenon and its clinical implications.
It is important to note that Anna Sellgren Engskov’s research highlights the need for a more nuanced consideration of issues related to pain perception. This can help improve the quality of care and pain management for each patient, taking into account their individual characteristics and needs.
Further research may help develop more effective pain management and care for all patients, taking into account their individual needs.
—
Online:
News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.
To eliminate any confusion arising from different time zones and daylight saving changes, all times displayed on our platforms are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
