Research shows that women suffer from joint pain to a greater extent than men. Causes of joint pain in women include: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases (lupus, and multiple sclerosis) which strike approximately three times more women than men. And fibromyalgia (fy-bro-my-al-ja) affects women eight times more frequently than men. Female hormones are believed to play a role in women’s high vulnerability to pain.

Many women with arthritis, lupus, and fibromyalgia report an increase in joint pain before or during their periods, likely because estrogen levels plummet before menstruation. Endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, are thought to work more effectively in men than in women.  Also, women are more prone to osteoarthritis of the knee, possibly because they tend to be more limber than men.  

Women react differently than men to some medications for relieving joint pain. For example, fluctuating hormone levels can reduce the amount of medicine circulating in the bloodstream. Plus, female digestive systems are slower, causing certain medications (like pain relievers) to take more time to be absorbed. And because pain sensitivity increases right before a woman’s period, more pain-relieving medicine may be required at this time of the month. If you suffer from joint pain, see your doctor.

 

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