Why Women Experience Chronic Pain Differently Than Men, According to New Research
If you've ever felt like your chronic pain was dismissed, undertreated, or chalked up to being "too sensitive," you're not imagining things. Women are significantly more likely to experience chronic pain conditions, and for years, the reasons why have been murky at best.
However, new research published in Science Immunology1 may have finally uncovered a key piece of the puzzle. And it has nothing to do with pain tolerance.
The research, explained
Researchers investigated how pain resolves differently in males versus females using an inflammatory pain model. What they found was striking: a molecule called IL-10 (interleukin-10), produced by immune cells called monocytes, plays a major role in how quickly pain fades.
IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory molecule, and, essentially, it helps calm things down after injury or inflammation. The study found that males appear to have a more robust IL-10 response, which helps them recover from pain faster.
In females that response was less pronounced, meaning pain stuck around longer.
This isn't about women being "more sensitive." It's about immune biology that's been largely overlooked until now.
Why this matters for women's health
Women are disproportionately affected by chronic pain conditions: fibromyalgia, migraines, autoimmune-related pain, and more. And yet, historically, pain research has been conducted primarily on male subjects (both human and animal).
This study adds to a growing body of evidence that sex-specific biology matters, and that treating everyone the same way doesn't work. Understanding the gut-brain connection is one example of how interconnected our body systems really are, and why a one-size-fits-all approach falls short.
Here's the empowering part: This research validates what many women have felt for years. Your pain isn't exaggerated. It's not "all in your head." There are real, measurable biological differences at play.
What this could mean for treatment
The findings open the door to some exciting possibilities, including IL-10-targeted therapies or other immune-modulating approaches that could help women specifically.
This is still preclinical research, meaning we're not at the point of new treatments just yet. But it's a critical step toward understanding why current pain management strategies don't work equally for everyone, and how we might change that.
Personalized, sex-specific pain management could become more common as this research evolves.
What you can do now
While we wait for the science to catch up, there are steps you can take today:
- Advocate for yourself. If you're dealing with chronic pain, bring up sex differences with your healthcare provider. Ask whether your treatment plan accounts for how your biology might respond differently.
- Support your immune system. Anti-inflammatory lifestyle strategies like quality sleep, stress management, and an anti-inflammatory diet can help support healthy immune function. You might also consider ways to support your metabolic health, which plays a role in inflammation.
- Track your pain patterns. Understanding your triggers, flare-ups, and what helps (or doesn't) gives you better data to share with your care team.
- Stay informed. This is an evolving area of research, and more answers are coming.
The takeaway
New research shows that sex differences in pain aren't just about perception. They're rooted in immune biology. For anyone who's ever felt dismissed or frustrated by chronic pain, this is validation.
While targeted treatments are still in development, understanding the "why" behind your pain is a powerful first step. And the more we learn, the closer we get to solutions that actually work for your body.