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Cited by 289Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsIon Channels and ReceptorsPain Management and Treatment

Sex differences in temporal summation but not sensory-discriminative processing of thermal pain

Fillingim, Roger B, Maixner, William, Kincaid, Shelley, Silva, Stefanie·1998·Pain
DOI 10.1016/s0304-3959(97)00214-5
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Abstract

Gender differences in experimental pain sensitivity have been widely investigated, and the results generally indicate that females exhibit greater sensitivity to noxious stimuli than males. However, results using thermal pain procedures have been inconsistent, with some studies reporting greater responses among females and other studies reporting no gender differences. The present study investigated gender differences in thermal pain perception using several different psychophysical procedures. Twenty-seven females and 22 males underwent thermal testing, including: determination of thermal pain threshold and tolerance, a thermal discrimination procedure, real-time magnitude estimates of heat pulses, and temporal summation of thermal pain. The results indicated lower thermal pain threshold and tolerance and greater temporal summation of thermal pain among females, but no gender differences in thermal discrimination or real-time magnitude estimates of discrete heat pulses. These findings suggest that gender differences in thermal pain perception may be more robust for sustained, temporally dynamic thermal stimuli with a strong C-fiber component.

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26 of 26 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Several studies found that patients with positive general social support but without solicitous responses to pain were less likely to develop persistent phantom limb pain after amputation and reported lower physical dysfunction.

    “Several studies found that patients reporting positive general social support but lacking solicitous responses to pain were less likely to develop persistent phantom limb pain post-amputation and report lower levels of physical dysfunction 85, 107, 109.”

    From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [107]

  • Considerable evidence indicates that greater solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts more pain-related disability.

    “there is considerable evidence that a higher degree of solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts increased pain-related disability 85, 106–108.”

    From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [107]

  • Considerable evidence indicates that greater solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts more pain-related disability.

    “there is considerable evidence that a higher degree of solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts increased pain-related disability 85, 106–108.”

    From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]

  • Catastrophizing overlaps with social processes such as social support.

    “Catastrophizing also overlaps with social processes such as social support 108, 339, 340.”

    From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]

  • Both solicitous and punishing responses to pain are associated with higher pain intensity and increased depressive symptoms.

    “both solicitous and punishing responses to pain are associated with higher pain intensity 108 and increased depressive symptoms 106, 340, suggesting these social factors may be a mechanism by which catastrophizing affects pain outcomes.”

    From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]

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Authors
Fillingim, R. B., Maixner, W., Kincaid, S., & Silva, S.
Affiliations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Corresponding author
Fillingim, Roger B
ORCID
Fillingim, Roger B
Venue
Pain
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
1998-03
Volume
75
Issue
1
Pages
121-127
ISSN
0304-3959 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0304-3959(97)00214-5
OpenAlex
W2065081821
Cited by
289
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 20
FWCI
5.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Pain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (DE 12261, DE 07509, R29DE012261)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Ion Channels and Receptors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
Keywords
sex differences, thermal pain, temporal summation, pain threshold, pain tolerance, thermal discrimination, magnitude estimation
MeSH terms
Adult, Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Hot Temperature, Humans, Male, Pain, Perception, Sex Characteristics, Time Factors, Pain Threshold

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