Gate control theory

Also, the brains of males and females may play a role in perceiving pain. Some things that open the gate may be: the ratio of pain-fiber activity (high A-delta and C-fiber activity, low A-beta fiber activity), stress, anxiety, depression and attention to pain. Some things that may close the gate: higher A-beta activity from acupuncture, massages and medicine, relaxation, increasing and sustaining positive emotions. When the gate is open, messages are sent to the brain that are perceived as pain. In general, women report more pain than men, different manners in coping with the pain and different responses to treatment. In fact, in a 1998 study, they found that ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory drug) did not reduce the pain for women, although it did for men. Men and women have estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, the levels of each hormone differ between them, and while they tend to remain somewhat steady for men, they vary monthly for women. Certain things open the gate; certain things keep it closed.

In a recent review women are found to have slightly lower pain thresholds, lower pain tolerance, and greater ability to make fine discriminations among painful stimuli (more aware of the pain). In turn, many painful diseases for which ibuprofen are typically prescribed are more common in women. If the higher centers of the brain interpret an event as painful, the gating mechanism will open, and the sensations of pain will be transmitted to the brain.