Chronic pains go untreated for millions of women globally, finds Lancet study

NEW DELHI: Women have a greater burden of painful conditions, including low back pain, headache disorders and other musculoskeletal disorders compared with men. Despite this, millions of women globally find that their chronic pain remains untreated, says an article published in The Lancet.

The article highlights the long history of medical gaslighting of women’s pain.

Medical gaslighting occurs when a patient feels that their symptoms are inappropriately dismissed as minor or primarily psychological by a healthcare professional. This can have detrimental effects, including increased morbidity and mortality, symptom distress, and worsening mental health.

“Women are being left behind not only in pain research but also in pain management,” the report states.

Evidence supports this notion, with women more likely to be referred to psychiatrists and psychologists, whereas men are more likely to undergo investigations for an underlying biological cause.

Every day, millions of women globally experience chronic pain, but remain untreated.

In addition to a higher prevalence of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, women are more sensitive to pain and more likely to develop chronic pain.

Quoting the report ‘Global Burden of Disease 2021’, the article notes that women have a greater burden of painful conditions, including lower back pain, headache disorders, and other musculoskeletal disorders, compared with men.

“A huge knowledge gap remains about the psychological and social aspects that contribute to a patient’s pain experience,” the report adds.

It further states that women are thought to be more likely to seek medical help earlier for pain, though evidence behind this assumption is not conclusive. When women seek help, they are less likely to get treatment or have to wait long for it.