Joint Pain
Everyone gets the occasional ache or pain — a little soreness in the shoulder, a twinge in the knee — but research shows that women are more frequently and often more severely affected than men. The CDC estimates that from arthritis or chronic joint symptoms affect more than 70 million Americans, 41 million of whom are women. A number of factors contribute to this disparity: Women are more apt than men to have conditions that cause joint pain, experience hormone fluctuations that affect their vulnerability, and may not be physiologically equipped to deal with pain.
Causes of Joint Pain in Women
Of the nearly 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis (AO), 60 percent are women. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, strikes approximately three times more women than men. Other autoimmune conditions that cause joint pain, such as lupus, scleroderma, and multiple sclerosis (MS), also hit women harder than men: Women are nine times more likely to develop lupus, three times more likely to have scleroderma, and twice as likely to suffer from MS. And fibromyalgia, a little understood condition that can cause joint pain, affects women eight times more frequently than men.
The Estrogen-Joint Pain Connection
"Women typically feel pain more intensively, more often, and in more parts of the body than men," says Tarvez Tucker, MD, a pain specialist and director of the Pain Clinic at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, in Lexington. Female hormones are believed to play a role in women's high vulnerability to pain. Many women with OA, RA, lupus, and fibromyalgia report an increase in joint pain just before or during their periods. This is likely because estrogen levels plummet right before menstruation and rise again after a woman's period is over. "Estrogen is believed to be protective against pain," says Dr. Tucker. "It peaks during pregnancy, probably to protect women from the pain of childbirth." Some research shows that 80 percent of women with RA experience a remission of symptoms during pregnancy and a flare-up when estrogen dips during the postpartum period. Additionally, reproductive hormones are suspected as factors in the high incidence of autoimmune diseases in women since conditions such as RA and lupus are most common during the childbearing years.
Women's Bodies and Joint Pain
Hormones are only part of the picture, however. Female brains may be wired for pain. It's thought that endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, work more effectively in men than in women. "Studies have found that females release less of the brain chemical dopamine in response to painful stimulation. Without dopamine, endorphins can't function effectively," says Patrick Wood, MD, a pain researcher at Louisiana State University, in Shreveport, and medical advisor to the National Fibromyalgia Association.
Female structural differences may contribute to some kinds of joint pain, too. For example, women are more prone to osteoarthritis of the knee. One possible explanation: "Women tend to be more limber and loose-jointed than men, so there's more movement in that area, increasing the risk that the kneecap will rub on the bones below it," notes Bruce Solitar, MD, a rheumatologist at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, in New York City. This may lead to osteoarthritis symptoms in the knee area.
Causes of Joint Pain in Women
Of the nearly 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis (AO), 60 percent are women. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, strikes approximately three times more women than men. Other autoimmune conditions that cause joint pain, such as lupus, scleroderma, and multiple sclerosis (MS), also hit women harder than men: Women are nine times more likely to develop lupus, three times more likely to have scleroderma, and twice as likely to suffer from MS. And fibromyalgia, a little understood condition that can cause joint pain, affects women eight times more frequently than men.
The Estrogen-Joint Pain Connection
"Women typically feel pain more intensively, more often, and in more parts of the body than men," says Tarvez Tucker, MD, a pain specialist and director of the Pain Clinic at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, in Lexington. Female hormones are believed to play a role in women's high vulnerability to pain. Many women with OA, RA, lupus, and fibromyalgia report an increase in joint pain just before or during their periods. This is likely because estrogen levels plummet right before menstruation and rise again after a woman's period is over. "Estrogen is believed to be protective against pain," says Dr. Tucker. "It peaks during pregnancy, probably to protect women from the pain of childbirth." Some research shows that 80 percent of women with RA experience a remission of symptoms during pregnancy and a flare-up when estrogen dips during the postpartum period. Additionally, reproductive hormones are suspected as factors in the high incidence of autoimmune diseases in women since conditions such as RA and lupus are most common during the childbearing years.
Women's Bodies and Joint Pain
Hormones are only part of the picture, however. Female brains may be wired for pain. It's thought that endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, work more effectively in men than in women. "Studies have found that females release less of the brain chemical dopamine in response to painful stimulation. Without dopamine, endorphins can't function effectively," says Patrick Wood, MD, a pain researcher at Louisiana State University, in Shreveport, and medical advisor to the National Fibromyalgia Association.
Female structural differences may contribute to some kinds of joint pain, too. For example, women are more prone to osteoarthritis of the knee. One possible explanation: "Women tend to be more limber and loose-jointed than men, so there's more movement in that area, increasing the risk that the kneecap will rub on the bones below it," notes Bruce Solitar, MD, a rheumatologist at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, in New York City. This may lead to osteoarthritis symptoms in the knee area.
How does acupuncture relieve joint and arthritis pain?
Pain is a primary complaint of people who suffer from arthritis, so acupuncture is worth considering because it relieves pain in three ways.
1. It works through the nervous system by blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain.
Brian Berman, MD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine writes, on the “Arthritis Today” website:
“A well-placed needle insertion sets off a cascade of events, producing a signal that travels along the spinal cord to the brain, triggering a release of neurotransmitters called endorphins which scientists believe reduce the sensation of pain.”
2. Acupuncture deactivates trigger points. Trigger points are tender areas that develop in the muscles and joints. They are often responsible for chronic pain and are frequently found around arthritic joints.
3. Acupuncture helps your body and mind relax. Since stress is a major contributor to illness and can intensify pain, helping your mind and body relax can promote healing.
Does acupuncture help other symptoms of arthritis?
With rheumatoid arthritis, you have inflammation around the joints, such as swelling, redness, and heat. Acupuncture stimulates the adrenal glands to produce natural steroids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect.
With osteoarthritis, (OA) the most common form of arthritis, cartilage in the joints gradual wears away, and research shows that acupuncture is extremely effective at controlling the pain that often accompanies this deterioration.
A study of 570 people with osteoarthritis of the knee found that those who received acupuncture had a significant decrease in pain compared with those who received fake acupuncture or standard care. That study was published in the Dec. 21 “Annals of Internal Medicine” and reported in USA Today in 2008.
What Are the Advantages of Acupuncture?
It’s a drug-free way to ease pain. You can’t get addicted to it. And the acupuncturist can immediately see how you respond and make any changes as needed.
Does the Medical Establishment Approve of Acupuncture?
Yes. There are about 28,000 licensed acupuncturists in the U.S. Also, the World Health Organization recognizes about 30 medical problems, ranging from allergies to pain, that can be helped by acupuncture treatment. The FDA also sees acupuncture needles as medical devices.
Pain is a primary complaint of people who suffer from arthritis, so acupuncture is worth considering because it relieves pain in three ways.
1. It works through the nervous system by blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain.
Brian Berman, MD, director of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine writes, on the “Arthritis Today” website:
“A well-placed needle insertion sets off a cascade of events, producing a signal that travels along the spinal cord to the brain, triggering a release of neurotransmitters called endorphins which scientists believe reduce the sensation of pain.”
2. Acupuncture deactivates trigger points. Trigger points are tender areas that develop in the muscles and joints. They are often responsible for chronic pain and are frequently found around arthritic joints.
3. Acupuncture helps your body and mind relax. Since stress is a major contributor to illness and can intensify pain, helping your mind and body relax can promote healing.
Does acupuncture help other symptoms of arthritis?
With rheumatoid arthritis, you have inflammation around the joints, such as swelling, redness, and heat. Acupuncture stimulates the adrenal glands to produce natural steroids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect.
With osteoarthritis, (OA) the most common form of arthritis, cartilage in the joints gradual wears away, and research shows that acupuncture is extremely effective at controlling the pain that often accompanies this deterioration.
A study of 570 people with osteoarthritis of the knee found that those who received acupuncture had a significant decrease in pain compared with those who received fake acupuncture or standard care. That study was published in the Dec. 21 “Annals of Internal Medicine” and reported in USA Today in 2008.
What Are the Advantages of Acupuncture?
It’s a drug-free way to ease pain. You can’t get addicted to it. And the acupuncturist can immediately see how you respond and make any changes as needed.
Does the Medical Establishment Approve of Acupuncture?
Yes. There are about 28,000 licensed acupuncturists in the U.S. Also, the World Health Organization recognizes about 30 medical problems, ranging from allergies to pain, that can be helped by acupuncture treatment. The FDA also sees acupuncture needles as medical devices.