Are you affected by the 'gender pain gap'? Doctor admits some clinicians view women as 'dramatic or manic' and that they are 'not taken as seriously as men'

Are you one of two British women who feel their pain is dismissed because of your gender?

The gender pain bias, discussed on Lorraine this morning, revealed how many women feel they are treated worse by the healthcare system due to its innate sexism – with one doctor blaming the medical system for seeing women as 'dramatic or manic'. .

Speaking about the issue, host Lorraine said: 'Look, we're on a mission this morning, aren't we?

'It aims to get women's health taken a little more seriously by highlighting what's called the gender pin gap.

'According to research, half of women feel worried about this [have been] ignored or rejected just because they are women, even though they said they experienced severe pain every day.”

The topic of the show was discussed by Dr. Amir and Dr. Nisha, as well as ordinary women who had suffered from the gender pain gap themselves.

One woman said, “I notice a difference whether you have a male doctor or a female doctor. I think [having] I feel much more comfortable with a female doctor as a female patient.'

Another revealed: 'Usually women have a harder time listening to their symptoms and making their symptoms heard.'

According to another woman: 'Women know their bodies very well. They know their energies very well. And that is why it is a great pity that they are not listened to in the same way.'

Responding to the women's words, Lorraine said: 'There's some really intelligent comments in there, and it's called this pain gap – and it's a real thing, isn't it?'

According to Dr. Amir: 'That's true. What it refers to is this unconscious bias of women [have] painful and medical conditions are disregarded or not taken as seriously as those of men simply because of their gender.

'And that's because women can be dismissed as the fairer sex, or as having a lower pain threshold, or as being dramatic or manic.

“All of these terms are misogynistic and apply to women, not men. And all of this means that women's painful medical conditions are either delayed in diagnosis, misdiagnosed, or not given proper treatment, prolonging their suffering.”

He noted that “women are actually at greater risk for painful medical conditions. also.

This is because, he said, “not only do they have a more complex pelvic anatomy with ovaries and the uterus and all the conditions that come with that,” but also because “they carry 2x chromosomes, certain conditions are more common.” and because of estrogen, the way it affects the immune system.”

What's more, says Dr. Amir, “It's especially bad for women from historically marginalized groups of black and brown women because it is deeply entrenched and historically racist.

“It goes all the way back to slavery, where so-called scientists were doing inhumane experiments on black women and saying things like, 'Well, they have thicker skulls or they have a less sensitive immune system… or they have superhuman strength so they can do surgical procedures. without anesthesia.”

'And many people may see that this is going well, that was then, that is not happening now. It's happening now. Women from historically marginalized populations have poor health outcomes compared to white women, and much of that is due to color.”

Lorraine pointed out that this can take much longer to get a diagnosis.

According to Dr. Nisha: 'Right. And it is not only a diagnosis, but also a treatment. For example, a study in the US shows that it took sixteen minutes longer for a woman to receive painkillers for acute abdominal pain than for a man.

'We know from another study that 47 percent of women took 11 months to be diagnosed within that time frame, but 66 percent of men were diagnosed.

'So there is clearly a pay gap between men and women. And we think women feel that the longer diagnosis times are because people aren't listening to them and taking their pain into account.”

Dr. Amir pointed out that many conditions that go untreated are unique to women.

He explained: 'Women get normal periods, but they shouldn't suffer because of it. There are certain pains that women complain about that they feel are not taken as seriously as men: headaches, back pain, joint pain, gynecological conditions, you know, painful gynecological conditions like endometriosis.

'On average it takes seven and a half years from developing symptoms to being diagnosed, and that is an incredibly painful condition… but painful periods are not normal.'

He added: “So women should neither suffer nor fight. It is up to us as healthcare professionals to listen to them, understand them and involve them in everything we talk about. '

And dr. Nisha spoke about the importance of raising awareness when it comes to raising awareness, saying that 'the narrative needs to change'.

“This has a huge impact on the economy, with one in five women not working because of pain,” she said.

“They don't sleep, some of them can't exercise, they can't go outside… We have to change things.”

She added how little is known about the subject, revealing: “When I talked to my friends about it [talking about this on Lorraine today]they were like “the gender pain what?”.'

Dr. Nisha concluded: 'Until we raise awareness about this, we cannot get industries and organizations to stand up and take note… and take people's pain seriously, because no one should have to suffer.'