16/01/2026
Women make up over 70% of chronic pain patients, yet pain research and treatment have long centered on men, creating a major “gender pain gap.” Biological factors like hormones and nerve sensitivity, combined with medical and societal bias, mean women’s pain is often misunderstood, dismissed, or under-treated.
Hormonal changes across the lifespan affect pain levels, while decades of excluding women from clinical trials have left major gaps in understanding female pain.
IMPACT:
• Women’s pain is more likely to be minimized or labeled psychological
• Diagnoses and treatment are often delayed
• Women are less likely to receive adequate pain management
• Common procedures affecting women are frequently done without sufficient pain relief
Have you experienced this firsthand?
