Neck Pain In Women
In most recent studies scientists found that women are more likely to suffer pain than men and that 70% of people who suffer chronic or persistent pain are women. Not only do women feel greater pain than men but experience pain for longer periods and more areas of their body.
The reason for this is not known.
Pain is experienced differently in women than men. In certain conditions women report pain more frequently
For Example: Migraine, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain and Fibromyalgia these are statistically more common in women than men!
Pain Experience Theories
There are no shortage of theories to explain this phenomenon:
- Hormones
- There is a possible link between hormone and pain sensitivity
- Nerves
- Women have a greater number of nerves per square centimeter of their body so more nerves relate to more pain
- Social and psychological processing of pain
- Women tend to concentrate on the emotional side of pain more than men
- Emotions and stress increase the symptoms of pain
- Reporting
- Men are less willing to report pain than women
Delving Into Neck Pain
The most common causes of neck pain include:
- muscle strain
- joint dysfunction
- arthritis
- degenerative disc disease
- disc herniation
- poor posture
- stress and trauma
Another common reason for developing neck pain is cervical disc disease. Symptoms include:
- neck pain
- stiffness
- restriction of movement
- Numbness and tingling may present down the arm into the fingers
New Studies Of Neck Pain
Two new studies by the AAPM of which 3,337 patients presented to a pain clinic over a two year period found 61% were women and 39% were men.
When they looked specifically at cervical disc disease(133) they found women were 1.38 times more likely to have cervical disc disease than men.
So gender does play a role in cervical disc disease and the pain levels associated with it.
This is one example of why women are more prone to neck pathologies and the associated pain more so than men.
Neck Pain Solutions
Either way if you suffer neck pain there is lots you can do. It doesn’t matter how you developed your neck pain, be it an injury, too much time at the computer, arthritis or disc disease you need a plan to improve your symptoms and reduce your pain.
Home exercises are a must. Learn to move , stretch and strengthen your neck joints and muscles for long term relief. Self management with exercises, diet and sleep plans help reduce pain, stress and anxiety.
