Gender differences in pain since birth

In a number of animal and human studies, males and females have been shown to differ in their responsiveness to noxious stimuli. Indeed, sex and gender are important factors in the modulation of pain since the neonatal age. Chronic pain is more common in women than in men, with some painful diseases commonly reported only among women. It is becoming very evident that gender differences in pain arise from an interaction of genetic, anatomical, physiological, neuronal, hormonal, psychological and social factors which modulate pain differently in the sexes. Experimental data indicate that both a different modulation of the endogenous opioid system and sex hormones are factors influencing pain sensitivity in males and females.