We are all familiar with the tendency of medical professionals to dismiss a woman's pain. There are several reasons for this, and one of them may be that women on average report pain for a longer period after an injury than men do. Research shows that this is a real physical difference, and new research may explain why.
Using studies on mice, scientists identified a molecule named interleukin-10 (IL-10), used by our immune systems, that will dampen pain on nerve receptors. Male mice produced more of the white cells that deliver IL-10, and recovered faster. The next question was why, and it turns out the answer is testosterone and other androgens. When they gave testosterone to female mice, or when they restricted it from male mice, the difference in recovery time disappeared. Read about this research, and how it may lead to new therapies for pain and healing at ZME Science.
(Image credit: MissLunaRose12)
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