“The focus of the 2024 global campaign is on sex and gender disparities in pain. It seeks to highlight how sex/gender-related inequalities and inequities in pain occur, to better understand why this happens, and consider the implications for how we manage pain.

This fact sheet focuses on the key questions often asked: “Are there sex differences in pain?” and “Who is more sensitive to pain, men or women”? This reflects the focus of most research in this area, which has been to explore the differences and similarities between men and women.

Evidence suggests that women are generally more sensitive to pain, have a greater vulnerability to many painful conditions, and generally experience more pain across the lifespan. However, there is also variation in patterns, which need to be understood. [5-8; 10; 11]

Reasons reflect the complex interplay between the biological, psychological, and social influences thought to be involved. More recently, we are also recognizing the need to move beyond binary comparisons, and why we need to take an integrated sex and gender approach to pain.”

International Association for the Study of Pain –  IASP (Overview of Sex and Gender Differences in Human Pain – International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP))