Pain
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To evaluate changes in pain threshold before, during and after labor in a prospective clinical trial. Forty pregnant women at term were included. Pain threshold in 18 specific pressure points was evaluated using a dolorimeter. ⋯ Pain intensity using the VRS score was higher during labor than before labor (4.8+/-2.7 and 2.4+/-2.6 p<0.001). We found a significant rise in pain threshold during labor in term pregnancies. This rise may have an intended protective effect during the intense labor pain experience.
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Dysmenorrhoea patients experience intense visceral pain during menstruation. Recurrent and/or intense visceral pain can induce facilitation of somatic and visceral nociceptive processing which can lead to viscero-somatic (referred) and viscero-visceral hyperalgesia. Our aim was to study if dysmenorrhoea is associated with hypersensitivity in the referred somatic skin area or in the large bowel, i.e., viscero-visceral hyperalgesia. ⋯ There were no differences in compliance between the groups. These findings suggest that, despite the absence of overt gastro-intestinal symptoms or viscero-somatic sensitisation, dysmenorrhoea patients demonstrate intestinal hypersensitivity. This can be regarded as the result of centrally mediated viscero-visceral hyperalgesia due to recurrent intense menstrual pain.
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In September 2006, members of the Sex, Gender and Pain Special Interest Group of the International Association for the Study of Pain met to discuss the following: (1) what is known about sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia; (2) what are the "best practice" guidelines for pain research with respect to sex and gender; and (3) what are the crucial questions to address in the near future? The resulting consensus presented herein includes input from basic science, clinical and psychosocial pain researchers, as well as from recognized experts in sexual differentiation and reproductive endocrinology. We intend this document to serve as a utilitarian and thought-provoking guide for future research on sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia, both for those currently working in this field as well as those still wondering, "Do I really need to study females?"