# Pain sensitivity/gender **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-sensitivity-gender/153117 "2003-02-06T02:54:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-sensitivity-gender/153117/1 "2003-02-06T02:54:47Z")
Which gender is more sensitive to pain (Male/Female)? Why? ---
**Author:** ![cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-sensitivity-gender/153117/2 "2003-02-06T04:12:44Z")
[http://www.mmhc.com/jgsm/articles/JGSM9809/Sun.html](http://www.mmhc.com/jgsm/articles/JGSM9809/Sun.html) > [@](#): > > A recent review by Fillingim and Maxiner summarized findings from 34 studies on gender differences in pain sensitivity. They reviewed studies performed between 1950 and 1993, comparing experimental pain responses in men and women. The researchers concluded that women have a more enhanced sensitivity to pain, but the gender difference in pain responses were not found to be site-specific. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pain-sensitivity-gender/153117/3 "2003-02-06T04:29:58Z")
This is not to argue with the above. The general wisdom used to be that women could stand more pain. This was based on woman being able to stand the pain of birth. It was said that men with kidney stones was the worst pain they could stand. 😃 [sup]Of course, no woman has ever been kicked in the nuts.[/sup]