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Sex differences in musculoskeletal pain.
1Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
The Clinical Journal of Pain
|April 6, 2001
Summary
Sex differences in musculoskeletal pain are evident, with women experiencing higher rates. Increased pain sensitivity, potentially with peripheral or central origins, contributes to chronic muscle pain, particularly in women.
Area of Science:
- Musculoskeletal pain research
- Sex differences in pain perception
- Pain mechanisms
Background:
- Epidemiologic, clinical, and experimental data indicate sex differences in musculoskeletal pain.
- Adult women report musculoskeletal problems more frequently than men.
- Research on these differences in children and adolescents yields inconsistent findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on sex differences in musculoskeletal pain.
- To explore the role of biologic and psychosocial factors.
- To identify stimuli that best reveal sex differences in pain.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiologic, clinical, and experimental studies.
- Analysis of pain responses to different noxious stimuli, focusing on mechanically induced pressure.
- Comparison of pain sensitivity between individuals with musculoskeletal pain and controls.
Main Results:
- Mechanically induced pressure is more likely to reveal sex differences in pain sensitivity compared to other stimuli.
- Mechanically induced pressure effectively discriminates between individuals with musculoskeletal pain and healthy controls.
- Evidence suggests sex differences in pain sensitivity mechanisms contribute to chronic pain conditions.
Conclusions:
- Increased pain sensitivity, originating peripherally or centrally, predisposes individuals to chronic muscle pain.
- Sex differences exist in the mechanisms underlying pain sensitivity.
- Women exhibit a particular vulnerability to the development and persistence of musculoskeletal pain conditions.
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