Suppression of pain-related thoughts and feelings during pain-induction: sex differences in delayed pain responses.

Journal of Behavioral Medicine
John W BurnsPhillip J Quartana

Abstract

Women tend to report greater acute and chronic pain intensity than men, and various mechanisms have been proposed to account for these sex differences. Suppression has been related to amplified pain intensity, and thus we examined whether sex differences in the use of suppression partly explained the discrepancy between men and women on pain report. Participants (N = 222; women: 55%) underwent a cold pressor, during which half the sample was randomly assigned to suppress pain-related thoughts and feelings and the other half was not. A 2-min recovery period followed the cold pressor. Ten min later, all participants were exposed to another physical stimulus (a massage device). Significant condition x Sex interactions were found for pain intensity, sensory ratings from the McGill Pain Questionnaire and unpleasantness ratings for the massage device, such that: (a) men in the No Suppression condition reported lower pain and unpleasantness than women in the same condition; (b) men in Suppression condition reported greater pain and unpleasantness then men in No Suppression condition, but equivalent pain and unpleasantness to women in No Suppression condition; (c) differences between men and women on pain in No Suppression condition we...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 14, 2019·The Clinical Journal of Pain·Henrik B VaegterNina Kreddig
Jun 4, 2020·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Omeed GhandehariDavid A Clark

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