Why Women Feel Pain Differently: The Hormone Connection

Women experience pain differently—and there are reasons for it. Hormones play a big part in pain sensitivity and perception. Sometimes it might feel like your pain isn’t being taken seriously, or like you experience pain more intensely than others around you. Or maybe it seems like the pain conversation is taking over. Your pain experience is yours, and it is real.

Also—hormones.

Women do feel pain differently than men. Facts. Our hormone makeup is different. So is our nervous system, our brain chemistry, and our lived experience. All of that plays a part in how we feel and process pain.

A Little Bit of Science

Research shows that women report pain more frequently and at higher intensity than men. This isn’t because women are “too sensitive.” It’s because we’re wired differently.

You’ll recognize a few familiar players from earlier posts—and for good reason. This may be a bit of review, but it’s worth repeating.

• Estrogen and progesterone directly affect how pain signals are processed and how sensitive we are to them. These hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle—and shift dramatically in perimenopause and menopause.
• Women’s brains show more activity in areas linked to emotion and pain perception, which means pain often carries more emotional weight.
• The menstrual cycle influences inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and recovery time—even from things like workouts or surgery.
• This means women’s pain isn’t always consistent. It can vary week to week, phase to phase, and certainly decade to decade.

Pain Sensitivity Through the Years

This chart offers a simple breakdown of how pain sensitivity may shift for women across different life stages, influenced by hormonal changes.

This isn’t about ‘just getting older.’ These are hormonal shifts—and they deserve real support and attention.

What You Can Do

📝 Track Your Symptoms

Start a journal or notebook to track patterns. Patterns are powerful. Begin to note when pain flares up and see if it aligns with your cycle or a specific stage of life.

🧘‍♀️ Listen to Your Body

Plan treatment and self-care in sync with your body’s rhythms. Use massage, movement, or recovery work to manage symptoms and pain. Your calendar matters—but so does how you feel.

📣 Advocate for Yourself

You are the expert in your own body. Talk to your providers about hormonal health and its connection to your pain. Don’t let your experience be minimized.

🤝 Find Practitioners Who Understand

At BodyTech, we take your whole body into account—not just your muscle tension. Pain is multidimensional, and everyone experiences it differently. Find practitioners who ask questions, stay curious, and—most importantly—listen. Listening is sometimes the most therapeutic part of a session.

Pain isn’t one-size-fits-all. And neither is healing.

👉 Ready to experience hormone-informed bodywork that actually makes sense for your life? Book your session today.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let’s do this together.