I saw a joke on the internet the other day saying that Man-Flu is more painful than childbirth. While some may find that funny, or sarcastic, women’s pain is no laughing matter. Research reveals that there are actually major discrepancies when it comes to how doctors treat women versus their male counterparts.
One study found that female patients are consistently LESS likely to be prescribed pain medication than men. Experts blame this blatant bias on the myth that women have a higher pain threshold, and beliefs that they exaggerate their pain. But either way, they’re being made to suffer… quite unnecessarily.
A recent TikTok video highlighting the sex bias in pain management clocked up thousands of reactions. It was mainly women who commented about how they find it, quite literally, painfully relatable. Many shared their own personal experiences of being overlooked by healthcare professionals. From receiving paracetamol after a C-section, to getting Tylenol for a shattered elbow. Some of these stories might be hard to stomach. But we have put together a list of the most startling ones, to draw attention to what one person has called a public health crisis.
#1
The only way my older sister was able to get a certain medicine was by sending her husband in instead, so he claimed he had bronchitis and he got the medication she had been asking ages for
Image credits: shanks wife
#2
I have endometriosis, I had to fight for decent pain meds. Husband hurt his shoulder and had pills thrown at him. Wtf was that about.
Image credits: DISCOninja88
#3
Raise ur hand if u ever went to get something checked out and they simply blamed it on ur period!!
Image credits: Excuse me
When researchers set out to investigate whether there is sex bias in pain management, they didn’t just look at a couple of hundred, or a few thousand case studies. They dissected data from the hospital discharge notes of more than 21,000 people with pain complaints in the US and Israeli healthcare systems.
The extensive study was carried out by experts from several Israeli universities, and an international team of researchers. The findings point to blatant bias against female patients, and show that they “are consistently less likely to receive pain medication prescriptions compared to male patients with similar complaints.”
#4
Watching the treatment my husband received for his vasectomy versus the way my pain was treated before, during, and after being pregnant/birth haunts me.
Image credits: TheRentedNest
#5
I had an ovarian cyst that burst, Dr told me it was probably just constipation.
Image credits: user1236269626366
#6
Just remembering my friend who died from a brain aneurism after being turned away from the ER three times. Rip Lauren Buxton. You deserved better.
Image credits: Team
“The study revealed that female patients are prescribed fewer pain relief medications than male patients, even after considering the levels of pain reported and other variables such as age, medical history, and the type of complaint,” reads a press release from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “This suggests a systemic issue where women’s pain may not be taken as seriously or treated as aggressively as men’s pain.”
It further calls for “urgent policy interventions and training for healthcare professionals to address and counteract these biases, ensuring equal pain treatment for all patients.”
#7
I was given a mint after my IUD insertion. Nothing else during before or after
Image credits: Autumn
#8
The way they literally do a c section that goes through skin, muscle, fat and what ever else they go through and only give you paracetamol after
Image credits: jullian
#9
a man in the comments said “ur period isn’t that bad” Mofo how would you know?
Image credits: vampwebtea2
The researchers believe misconceptions about women’s pain are to blame. “Previous work has shown that individuals tend to perceive females’ pain as less intense than that of males. This perception bias has in turn been explained by a gender–pain exaggeration bias: People view females as more emotional and assume that they overreport their experienced pain compared to males,” they said.
“The literature has suggested additional stereotypes that may also explain why female patients receive less pain treatment, such as the perception of females as more capable of physically tolerating pain than males.”
#10
COLPOSCOPY: where they hole punch your cervix for biopsies. You bleed for days after. GETTING AN IUD: where they insert a device into your uterus. BOTH OF WHICH ARE DONE W/O SEDATION OR MEDS AFTERWARD
Image credits: scottie_le
#11
I pushed out an 8lb 10oz baby.
I got Tylenol.
Image credits: cynmatters
#12
I had internal bleeding, ruptured organ, I was actively dying, vomiting blood.. and they refused to give me anything more than a few endone. it lasted two days, worse than child birth. my bf had his tooth removed and he was given months supply of endone and valium.. even he noticed how bad drs treat women.
Image credits: Nixie
A British survey of more than 110 000 women found that 50% of them felt that their pain was disregarded or overlooked. And many said their suffering (particularly related to menstrual health) was dismissed as “a natural aspect of being a woman” and therefore didn’t warrant medical attention.
“In the same survey women have reported being left unattended to bleed for hours after miscarriage and sent home with the advice of taking paracetamol, whereas others reported severe pain sustained for years due to endometriosis or fibroids but were told ‘it was all in their head’,” notes a research paper, which cited the survey.
#13
brought my mom to the er for INTENSE pain, they said stomach bug. week later went to diff ER, she apparently had an acute kidney infection that almost turned septic. didn’t take her seriously at all
Image credits: seraphinum
#14
me and my brother both had a sinus infection and I also had an ear infection as well so I was in a LOT of pain and they prescribed MY BROTHER 800MG of ibuprofen and told ME TO TAKE OTC TYLENOL.
Image credits: June
#15
and yet it’s women who have lower pain tolerances, huh??
Image credits: llyncooljones
Another study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, revealed that “young female patients (aged 18–55 years) who presented to emergency departments with chest pain had a 29% longer wait time for potential heart attack evaluation compared with their male counterparts.”
Women of color were forced to wait even longer! And were less likely to be prescribed the medication they needed.
#16
All 4 wisdom teeth > Tylenol. Cluster headache > Tylenol. Distal humerus and shattered elbow > guess.. THAT’S RIGHT!! TYLENOL
Image credits: ioverthunk
#17
I had a surgery and a male nurse didn’t give me oxygen even after the anesthesiologist said I need extra oxygen. And yes anesthesiologist was a woman. I cried and tried to breathe in bed for 3 days
Image credits: Alishya
#18
Husbands vasectomy got him twice as much oxy prescribed as my cesarean. He was told bedrest then low activity.. I was given a newborn and told to get up. 👍 this is our reality
The lead researcher of the Israeli study has warned that sex bias in medicine can have major consequences for female patients.
“Our research reveals a troubling bias in how women’s pain is perceived and treated in emergency care settings,” said Professor Choshen-Hillel. “This under-treatment of female patients’ pain could have serious implications for women’s health outcomes, potentially leading to longer recovery times, complications, or chronic pain conditions.”
#19
We’re treated like second class citizens
Image credits: Karen
#20
I had a heart condition that was misdiagnosed as anxiety and depression until 28yo. I have zero faith in doctors.
#21
A couple weeks ago I went to the er for kidney pain as I have a small kidney that often gets stones. A man infront of me also had kidney stone symptoms. He was sent straight to the dr to be put on IV fluids to help flush his kidneys. Me however with pre existing kidney issues was sat in a waiting room for 5 hours, told to keep hydrated and come back if it gets worse. Had to ask to have my cannula removed as they forgot. He walks out, fully hydrated , given pain meds and never had to sit in the waiting room.
Image credits: hakuna_matataakasplash
There seems to be more than enough evidence, along with the posts in this listicle, to suggest that women are not treated the same as men when it comes to their health and pain management. It’s clearly an issue that clearly needs serious attention and action asap.
Have you faced discrimination as a woman when it comes to pain or illness? Let us know in the comments below…
#22
They think we should just take it because we’re “used to pain from our periods”.
Image credits: Reykja
#23
I’m having a kidney removed this year because 4 male doctors told me my pain and symptoms were all in my head. It took a massive kidney infection that almost killed me for them to believe me.
Image credits: Clair🇬🇧
#24
100%. I’ve seen men get oxy for a sore throat, but women can’t get anything more than ibuprofen unless they’re going in for full surgery.
Image credits: lifes_little_adventures
#25
My husbands pain meds for his vasectomy were stronger than what I was sent home with after my c-section!!
#26
My cousin puked all day everyday for 6+ months. She threw up so much she lost 100 pounds. Anytime she went to the ER they accused her of drug seeking. She looked emaciated, they still didn’t listen.
Image credits: Melissa
#27
I already knew this. I got 12 pills for an evasive abdominal surgery and my husband got two refills for a tooth infection.
Image credits: rfk_jrs_brain_worm
#28
I asked for pain relief when I woke up from gallbladder removal surgery, the nurse was surprised I was asking and gave me ibuprofen. I just had an ORGAN removed
Image credits: Abbey Lowry
#29
The fight I had with doctors to advocate for a 85yo woman with shingles and demintia, she thought she was having a heart attack from the pain. They were worried she’d get addicted.
Image credits: Madzy
#30
I went to the doctor for excruciating pain in my side and trouble breathing. the doctor told me “toughen up princess, have some panadol and you’ll be okay”. I had to call an ambulance that same night
Image credits: Deanna
#31
We are built to give birth, one of the most painful experiences a human can experience. If we say we’re in pain, it means we’re in PAIN. The type of pain that would bring a man to his knees.
Image credits: michellepage217🇨🇦
#32
I audit over 2100 randomly selected surgeries every year, I follow pre, intra and post. The study is correct. For the same procedure a male will get up to 3 pain scripts. Women 0-1. Data.
Image credits: kerrymenopause🇨🇦
#33
the people saying “they just didn’t ask” clear do not understand how much we do ask, how many appointments we have to go to, the literal begging just to be listened to.
Image credits: Beth
#34
couple of years I was traying to be diagnosed in the UK …every time they told me nothing was wrong or I have depression…I had to go to another country to have all the checks done correctly again..
#35
They gave ibuprofen when I had a bad tear and extreme hemorrhoid pain after delivery. They gave me IBUPROFEN .
#36
I was in extreme pain from a kidney stone and a male doctor told me “oh it can’t hurt that bad” I asked him if he had ever had one and he said no
#37
My gallbladder was so scarred and inflamed it was literally fusing to my other organs and for three years I was told “it’s probably just stress!”
#38
And for woman only procedures. Are told “there’s no pain” when it’s incredibly painful. Some after C sections have only been described Tylenol
#39
When I miscarried I was told it would be “just a heavy period”. It was nothing like a period.
#40
A hospital dismissed my mom’s pain as her fibromyalgia after she said it wasnt that repeatedly, they just sent her home. She ended up having a brain aneurysm!!!
#41
Major abdominal surgery and they tried to send me home w Tylenol. I fought back. It’s utterly ridiculous
#42
I’ve had nothing for gynaecological surgeries that in my opinion hurt worse than when I got hit by a car
#43
I had a life saving c-section (bursted ectopic pregnancy) and they wouldn’t give me more then Tylenol even when I cried of how much pain I was in
#44
My doctor told me he ‘loves giving out pain medication’. 3 weeks later when I told him I would need a script as my pain has flared up, he said no and I need to see my gp instead if it was still bad in a few days. I have terminal cancer
#45
My auntie died because of food poisoning. The doctor told her it was just a stomach ache and that she’ll be fine
#46
I wasn’t given pain medicine for my kidney stones that had me barely moving but my dad was prescribed as soon as he was diagnosed. They also tried saying it was a uti and not kidney stones for me too
#47
I had bladder cancer. Every treatment session required a catheter. They had numbing gel. Men got it automatically and as a woman I had to ask for it EVERY SINGLE SESSION!
#48
I was constantly going to my doctor for severe migraines over the course of 4 years. Nothing was done. I only found out in September that it was because of a brain tumor.
#49
Had a botched liver biopsy. Nothing, two hours relocating a shoulder that was stuck inbetween bone? Nothing tooth implant drilled into my jaw? Forgot to numb me
#50
lmao went to a doctor because my period was over 100 days late. he told me i was underweight. took a female doctor to say that i had pcos. then he was like yeah yeah i agree it does seem like that
#51
I pushed out a baby and then six people held my body down as the doctor went elbow-deep to manually rip out my placenta to save my life. Easily 10X more painful than unmedicated childbirth.
#52
Couldn’t breath for days and had stuff coming out of my lungs to the point I was chocking in my sleep and went to the er was just told to take flu meds . I had pneumonia
#53
It’s why I don’t go near doctors. The medical schools that churn them out seem to still be hugely misogynistic and sexist..
#54
took me from the age of 15 – 32 to get diagnosed with endometriosis. years of being scoffed at and told my pain was in my head.
#55
This is so true. My hubby got pain meds over the littlest of things but when I got my wisdom out I got nothing. I was in so much pain for weeks.
#56
my husband was perscribed the same medication for a tooth ache that i was prescribed after a c section
#57
We literally tell them we feel bad and the first thing they ask u is “what’s the chance of u being pregnant, are you sure you’re not pregnant, we are gonna run some tests for pregnancy” like what
#58
I gave birth (natural) next day had a tubal, was given Tylenol. A guy friend of mine had a vasectomy, 20.mins out patient, and relieved actual pain killers
#59
I dislocated a rib, went to the doctor, he confirmed it was indeed dislocated. Then he acted like I was drug seeker. I spent 3 days in excruciating pain. Of course I wanted a pain meds.
#60
3 hours after having my gall removed I was refused paracetamol because I had to stand to go ask when no one would come to my room. was told ‘if you can stand you don’t need it’ so I went home.
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