Neck pain is more common in women than in men.
According to a new study conducted at Loyola Medicine's Pain Management Center, women suffer from neck pain that is caused by cervical degenerative disc disease more often than men do. Symptoms of the disease, which is the most common cause of neck pain, include stiff neck, burning sensation, tingling and numbness.
The research team, composed of Meda Raghavendra and Joseph Holtman at the Loyola University Medical Center and Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, examined 3,335 patients who were being treated at the center from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2014. The majority of the patients, 61 percent or 2,047, were women.
Overall, a total of 133 patients had cervical degenerative disc disease. Out of this group, 91 of them were women. The researchers found that women were 1.38 times more likely than men to report neck pain that stems from cervical degenerative disc disease regardless of age and tobacco use. The team also found that men with cervical degenerative disc disease were three times more likely to be obese.
The study's findings suggest that women and men experience pain differently. Previous studies found that women are more likely than men to seek out treatment at pain clinics for chronic pain. Women are also more likely to be afflicted with migraine headaches and fibromyalgia, which is an incurable condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness.
In another one of Raghavendra and Holtman's studies, which examined patients who sought out medical care at the center for lower back pain tied to lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, they found that women had a slightly higher prevalence for the condition than men did. The difference between the two sexes, however, was not statistically significant.
Cervical degenerative disc disease can negatively affect people's lives. Once movement becomes hindered, people might no longer be able to independently accomplish daily tasks, such as reaching for an item in the cabinet or carrying bags. This study's findings can help doctors better understand how cervical degenerative disc disease affects men and women differently, which would ideally lead to improved treatment options.
The researchers will present their findings at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 33rd Annual Meeting next week.
