Pain is an unpleasant feeling in your body or mind that warns you something may be wrong or that you are hurt.
From Old French *peine* and Latin *poena* meaning “punishment, penalty,” originally linked to legal or religious suffering. Over time it broadened to any kind of physical or emotional hurt.
Pain is both a warning system and a teacher—it tells you “stop” but also shapes what you avoid in the future. Emotional pain uses the same brain networks as physical pain, which is why heartbreak can literally hurt.
Descriptions and assessments of 'pain' have been shaped by gender bias in medicine, where women's pain has historically been dismissed, psychologized, or under-treated compared with men's reports. This has influenced how pain is documented, believed, and researched.
When discussing pain, avoid stereotypes such as women being 'overly sensitive' or men needing to 'tough it out.' Describe pain reports neutrally and take all genders' self-reports seriously.
Women researchers and clinicians have been central in documenting gender bias in pain treatment and improving pain science; acknowledging their work helps correct earlier erasure in medical narratives.
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