Women and Pain

In the same way the lives of elders impinge on the lives of family members and friends of all ages, what affects women, particularly on a global scale, affects men. October 2013 to October 2014 is the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Global Year Against Orofacial Pain. There is a greater issue behind this, the issue of women and chronic pain:  http://www.iasp-pain.org. The description of orofacial pain on the IASP site follows:  " ...a very frequent form of pain perceived in the face and/or oral cavity, caused by diseases or disorders of regional structures, by dysfunction of the nervous system, or through referral from distant sources." This site contains a wealth of information regarding chronic pain in women.

I am all-too familiar with the statistics regarding women and pain. More women than men suffer from certain conditions associated with chronic pain; fewer women than men receive effective treatment for chronic pain. The gap is both pervasive and real. Having suffered chronic pain, I know intimately the challenges it brings. My life's struggle has become addressing the causes and effects of degenerative joint disease. I've committed to avoiding pain medications and lifestyle choices that will further degrade my health, or hasten my death.  Depression, anger and fear over the ongoing reduction in the quality of my life can only serve to worsen my condition, so I continually work on my attitudes and beliefs.

Note to self:  I am doing the best I can with what I have in this moment, and that is all I can expect from anyone, including me. -Anonymous 

My interest in the larger context of women and pain was renewed recently, due to encounters with a friend of a friend I. Pam is in her forties, moves as though she were in her eighties or nineties. Her pain and profound unhappiness, are ever-present. She is slender and would be quite attractive, were it not for chronic misery and a tendency to self-immersion. Pam suffers from fibromyalgia, cannot work, and lives on Social Security benefits. Her health decline began a decade ago, when her husband suddenly died. It was , outside of anything else, a huge financial blow. As the widow of an underinsured spouse, Pam struggled with grief, financial loss and all the stressors of a life derailed. Before you dismiss fibromyalgia as a fictitious ailment, please know I've done the same. However what I know for certain is never to dismiss or diminish someone else's experience. Just listen; anyone who has chronic pain has certainly heard all manner of advice.

Love, not just self-love, but the healing of a loving relationship is critical.  I'm compelled not to shy away from the gender-specific issue of pelvic pain. It is excruciatingly difficult for women who deal with it.  It affects a woman's sexual life, but is difficult to discuss, even with a trusted physician. A 2009 book by Isa Herrera, Ending Female Pain: A Woman's Manual, is a worthy read for women and our sexual partners.

Research funds, like developments in the diagnosis and treatment of women worldwide, have never been equally available. We women can help ourselves, and there are many resources available online. Here is another good resource and a cause to espouse: http://www.endwomenspain.org. My personal favorite reference, in spite of Lance Armstrong, or, maybe because of his battle with cancer, is Livestrong. 

One thing every woman must do is stand up to the medical establishment. Many years ago, I had a physician, an OB GYN, dismiss my suffering. Don't get me wrong, he was not unkind in his dismissiveness. He patted my hand, while I vomited non-stop in his office. His answer to my 24/7 hyper emesis of pregnancy was, simply, take time away from my teaching career. I asked him how acceptable it would be for him to leave his profession and patients behind for several months, and what he expected would result. Male or female, if you are suffering from a chronic condition, this journey, like all other life journeys, is one of education, discovery and self-advocacy. Above all take heart. The dialogue about pain continues to evolve.

We are a long way from gender equality in medical research, diagnosis and treatment specific to women. Let us look toward changing attitudes and public policy in this country and worldwide.