23/02/2026
New research is shedding light on why chronic pain tends to last longer in women than men — and the answer may lie in the immune system.
A study just published in Science Immunology found that immune cells called monocytes play an active role in resolving pain, and that these cells are more effective in males due to the influence of s*x hormones.
For women, this means pain resolution can be slower — not because of perception or pain tolerance, but because of biology.
🗣As the lead researcher put it: "It's not in your head. It's in your immune system."
For the millions of women living with chronic pain whose experience has been dismissed or minimised, that's a meaningful validation — we hope this study will be an important step towards better, more targeted support.
Chronic pain lasts longer for women than men, and new research suggests differences in hormone-regulated immune cells, called monocytes, may help explain why.
