Do you have a high or low tolerance for pain, and do men or women have a higher

1. 77

   Charluposted 11 years ago

   Do you have a high or low tolerance for pain, and do men or women have a higher pain threshold?
   
   Is it just a myth that women have babies because men couldn't handle the pain or is it true that women have a higher tolerance for pain?  Do you cry when you prick your finger or just shake it off when you break an arm?

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   christen whalenposted 11 years ago

   i remember reading that women have a higher tolerance for pain with men? it feels like it was so long ago that i read the article, though. i think it really differs from individual to individual, though. i also think there are different kinds of pain.
   
   for example, when women get sick we keep on going: cooking, cleaning, going to work, running errands, taking care of children, etc. and when men get sick with a cold you'd swear they were on their deathbed.
   
   but i think one way to really test/measure pain tolerance between the sexes, maybe people should look into how people handle the pain of a kidney stone. i've never had one, but i hear so many women say it's as bad as labor/child birth.
   
   personally, i feel as though my pain tolerance is fairly high and of course i'm going to rally for women and say that they have an overall higher pain threshold ;] .

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   Grammagillposted 11 years ago

   From my own experience, women having a higher tolerance for pain is not a myth. Having worked in health care for many years, men do not handle pain well at all. When in pain many men will whine, lay around, and complain about there pain for hours and days on end. Women on the other hand will carry on their daily tasks and routines as usual while in pain, and never complain.

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      Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hmmmm That is very interesting from a health care workers experience and point of view. Thanks

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   healthwealthmusicposted 11 years ago

   I believe it differs from person to person - however, I have also heard that women handle pain better than men. If you think about it - we were made that way so we could be a good wife and mother We need to function and take care of our family, even when we don't feel well.
   
   In some individuals the roles seem to be switched around - my mother always claimed I had a low pain tolerance, and my husband is the last guy to complain about not feeling well... but then he is a man of few words and does not usually elaborate on any subject.

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   Mom Katposted 11 years ago

   I read somewhere in some medical thing (very specific, I know)... that men actually have a higher pain threshold than women in general.  The exception to this rule is that the woman's body produces a specific hormone/chemical compound during contractions and labor that give her a higher threshold during that time.
   
   This is not to say men have a higher "tolerance".  The study was basically stating that if a woman and a man both had exactly the same injury a woman would experience a greater sensation of pain than a man.
   
   That being said, women tend to have more of a "tolerance" in the way of dealing with the pain.  She will carry on or work her way through it in order to complete what needs to be done more than a man would.  So even though it hurts more, women are more willing to push past it.
   
   Perfect example:  the other year my entire house got hit with a horrid stomach flu.  Everyone was laying in bed, throwing up.  I was the only one who wasn't in bed.  Was I the only one not sick? No.  I took breaks to go throw up in the bathroom in-between running around taking care of everyone else.  Someone had to do it, and it wasn't my hubby who was laying in bed telling me he thought he was going to die because it was just SO terrible.
   Now, everyone else in the house recovered before I did.  My illness lasted a couple of days past theirs.  This is because I didn't give my body what it needed ~ REST!!  My hubby actually told me that he was healthier and could "bounce back" faster than I could because he was only sick for 2 days while I was sick for 4.  Clearly I'm the weaker one, right..... sigh.... sometimes they just don't get it.

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      ithabiseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      "Best Answer!" Ha!Ha! Although I won't be a credible adviser here 'cause I'm  a man I think you're right about this. Very reasonable, practical, and observational. I think men can take more pain. Find that article!

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      Mom Katposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      just wrote a hub about it
      http://momkat.hubpages.com/t/33e8bc

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      Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like you have this one pegged with not only what appears to be the most logical answer:) but scientific as well.   You also couldn't be more right on the money about sometimes they just don't get it.  Thanks

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   debbiepinkstonposted 11 years ago

   I do think that most women have a higher tolerance for pain than men, but I'm sure there are exceptions.  The world's population wouldn't be what it is if women didn't have a high tolerance for pain.
   
   My tolerance is pretty high but I do have my breaking point!

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   DDEposted 11 years ago

   Most women can tolerate pain , I know for a fact that men will take a pain reliever anytime but I for example will not take a tablet to relieve pain of any kind,  men are definitely the weaker sex when it comes to pain.

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      DS Dubyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't take pain meds of anykind

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   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   I think it depends on the individual and the type of pain. I know there are certain types of pain I don't think much about.  I might have a bad headache for example that lasts a few days.  On day three I might mention it to my husband.
   
   But other kinds of pain I do not tolerate well, but someone else might, man or woman.  So I really think it boils down to the individual rather than gender.

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      Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am going to have to agree with you on this one and add that people who have experienced more pain (me/ accident prone Annie)) tolerate it maybe a little better because of the other intense pain we've suffered.

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   alphagirlposted 11 years ago

   I think women have a higher tolerance because we can give vaginal birth. Imagine a man giving birth. There would be no children if men had to go 9 month pregnant.
   They would be bed ridden from the first sign of morning sickness. We women forget pain easier.
   
   I have a very high tolerance. I took advil after a c-section. Went about my day and I was fine in 2 weeks. I have had vaginal delivery as well. That took me longer to heal because of the ripping at delivery, pushing.

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    Georgie Loweryposted 11 years ago

    I'm a big weenie whenever I have pain. I can get a hangnail and cry about it all day long. If women are supposed to have a higher tolerance for pain, then I'm a sorry example!

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    DS Dubyposted 11 years ago

    It totally depends on the individual, sex has absolutely nothing to do with it. Either you are tough or you're not. The only thing that can shape you in either direction is your upbringing and genes. I was brought up rough, always fighting groups of guys cause I didn't fit in and I got hit a lot by my step father just cause he didn't like me lol, so it's safe to say that my pain threshold is gonna be higher than someone who has lived a peaceful life and never had to physically suffer on a daily basis. I physically work harder than most people my age, I hair scramble race ATV's  which in case you don't know involves hitting trees at high speed quite often and I never take pain medication. I guarantee if I had the proper "equipment" I could deliver a baby as well.

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    msorenssonposted 11 years ago

    I think it is on a case to case basis and cannot generalize genderwise....
    I don't think tolerance for pain has got anything to do with the predisposition of women to carry the child and give birth...
    It is an "assigned" function to the physical body....

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    GlstngRosePetalsposted 11 years ago

    Well i think its on an idividual basis i can handle a broken arm or foot but a headache or sore tooth puts me down. as far as going to the child birth thing well thats diferant. Men give birth too just not to children thier called kidney stones that rip through and cause alot of pain. Hubby has a few named as children lol. The realy big ones. so i believe that pain tolerance is on an individual basis not on a male or female one.

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       Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That's funny naming the stones . I've got more metal in me holding bones together and wire than I care to mention and have shrugged it off, but a tooth ache Ahhhhh

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    Jean.Paraisonposted 11 years ago

    I have a high tolerance for pain, and I believe that men and women have an equal pain threshold.

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    dwarfstarposted 11 years ago

    I guess women are more tolerant with pain than men when it comes to giving birth, but in some other cases like cuts and wounds men have higher tolerance. However, if we talk about emotional pain, women are more tolerant because women tend to talk about it with friends while men like to keep it by themselves.

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    austinhealyposted 11 years ago

    It's no secret : men don't do pain and I'm no exception. In my opinion, women definitely have a higher tolerance for pain.

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    EuroCafeAuLaitposted 11 years ago

    Being a wimp by nature, I figured having a baby would be the most horrendous experience of a lifetime.  Much to my surprise, the deep breathing and relaxation techniques my mom taught me enabled me to have a basically painless labor.  There was some pain but it really wasn't nearly as extreme as I expected it to be.  (So much, in fact, that the doctor came rushing into the delivery room to ask why I wasn't screaming like the other women were doing!)
    
    Another great by-product of pain (bones moving out of the way to make way for the birth) is SLEEP.  So dozing off in between contractions made it seem like a "wild ride / psychedelic experience" and no big deal to do it again!  So in short, male or female, it's hard to say who does have a higher pain threshold - but you may surprise yourself by dozing off and dealing with it better than you expected.
    
    The bottom line for pain is to not fight it, but exhale at the pain "peak".  Tightening up with clenched fists and teeth will only exhaust you and make it worse.

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       Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I applaud you for being able to sleep in between contractions WOW Breathing techniques do help in some cases Thanks

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       EuroCafeAuLaitposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Sleepiness is the body's natural response to pain.  Having a baby is a little like going to the bathroom.  My first though afterwards, "I could do this again!".  Breathing + concentration really works wonders.

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    kathyjones1952@atposted 11 years ago

    I think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, myself.  I've always been pretty tough.  There's no telling how many times I've been thrown from a horse and suffered broken bones!  I still ride but I need to be more careful these days because I'm at risk for osteoporosis now!  When it comes to having my feelings hurt, I'm quite the opposite, though!  I think men have a lower tolerance for pain.  I never have married but I've always been told that they're the biggest babies when they're sick!

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       Charluposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Ditto on the broken bones and horse thing except most of mine were on the ground either getting kicked by somebody elses horse or trying to save my dog lol  Still have them and love them and glad to hear you still ride   Thanks

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    Damsoniaposted 11 years ago

    It depends on the individual. I for one have an extremely low pain threshold and am over sensitive to pain. Although it also depends on the type of pain. Thus as in most things, there are many variables to consider.

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    huckelburyposted 11 years ago

    I agree with alphagirl. I have an abnormally high pain threshold, but on balance, I have to say that women have a higher one than men. Women have babies, which for me is the ultimate challenge. Believe me, if it were left to us guys to bear children, our species would have died out a long time ago. I've pulled on pads and played a lot of football and climbed into the ring to fight more times than I like to recall, but ask me to carry something inside me for 9 months and then go through the anguish of giving birth? No way! Women win this one, hands down.

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    mikejhcaposted 11 years ago

    I guess I have a high tolerance for pain or I just don't make a big deal about it like some people do.  When I had my finger nail ripped off in a machine I finished what I was doing and then I told the person closest to me that I just ripped my finger off in the machine.  I don't cry and I don't yell out unless I need someone to save me.  A person I know showed me something that looked like a tennis racket.  I guess he was trying to make me flinch or something because it was a bug zapper and it electrocuted me.  Based on my reaction he thought it was no longer working. Once I fell out of a tree while I was working on a farm.  I was bruised but not broken so I got up and continued working.
    
    After the finger nail incident I went back to work the next day.  A woman that worked for the same business hurt herself but the injury was not nearly as bad. She made a lot of noise when she hurt herself and did not go back to work for a long time.  Some women may have a higher pain tolerance but most of them don't seem to.

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