Serving Patients in the areas of Grand Rapids, Holland, and Big Rapids MIMillions of Americans deal with chronic pain on a daily basis that impedes their ability to function. However, did you know that continuing medical research finds that men and women experience pain in different ways?
In surveys taken of the pain levels experienced by patients on a 10-point scale, where 0 means no pain is present and 10 is the worst pain possible, women usually report a higher pain level, on average. Furthermore, in cases where opiates are prescribed to relieve pain, women typically need higher doses over longer periods of time to relieve their pain. Women also are, statistically, more likely to experience chronic ailments such as temporomandibular joint disorder (also referred to as TMJ disorder or TMD), migraine headaches, and fibromyalgia.
Why does this disparity between the genders exist? For one thing, the brains of women and men process pain in different ways. Those differences relate to microglia, which are cells that monitor the central nervous system and protect it from damage. If you are injured, for example, your brain and spine release microglia cells in great quantities. In women, the microglia show more activity, to the point they also serve to neutralize opioid pain relievers.
Men and women also experience pain differently at the source of an injury. A recent study examined the way different nerve cells respond to an injury. Using mice as the subject, the research found that when female mice were injured, more pain-inducing immune cells traveled to the spinal cord as compared to male mice. This greater peripheral pain response was considered to be a potential cause for why women experience pain on a different and increased level.
Science has yet to come to a consensus as to why women and men experience chronic pain in different ways. Some researchers think women’s brains interpret pain signals differently than men. Others cite the difference in peripheral nervous systems between genders as the reason why pain is felt differently, and at different levels, in men than in women.
Regardless of your gender, if you are suffering from chronic pain as a consequence of temporomandibular joint disorder, then Dr. Jerry and Dr. Allyson at TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan can help you find relief. While the symptoms of TMJ disorder can vary widely from case to case, chronic pain at debilitating levels is one of the most common consequences of the disorder. This pain may manifest in the mouth, face, neck, shoulders, or even the back depending on how advanced a case of TMD might be. TMD pain also manifests as chronic and severe headaches that often are misdiagnosed as migraines. The doctors at TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan have special training to identify and treat a case of TMJ disorder and differentiate TMJ headaches from traditional migraines. To be screened for TMD, contact our office today at (616) 458-0631 to schedule a consultation.
TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan is here to serve patients in the areas of Grand Rapids, Holland, and Big Rapids in Michigan.
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