Bridging the Gap: Why Women’s Pain Is Still Not Taken Seriously

 

In this series, I have written extensively about conditions such as endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, migraines and fibromyalgia, and how women often spend years without answers before receiving an accurate diagnosis, let alone an effective treatment. 

 

This is reflected in both wider research and my own practice, where I have heard repeatedly from female patients about how they have felt belittled by doctors, and had their symptoms blamed on ‘normal’ period pain.

 

Earlier this month, a new study involving 6,600 patients published by researchers at the University of Cambridge found that women with autoimmune diseases are significantly more likely than males to be misdiagnosed with a psychiatric or psychosomatic condition. 

 

It follows a review of global research which showed that women were less likely to receive the same treatment as men, across several health problems, including cardiovascular conditions, kidney disease and Parkinson’s.

 

I am often asked why women’s pain is not always taken seriously by the medical profession, and I wish I had a more hopeful and definitive response to give. What I do know is that any answer is firmly rooted in a long history of inequality in medicine and wider society.

 

A history of overlooking women’s pain 

Historically, medicine has treated women’s pain differently to that of men. 

For generations, medicine was a predominantly male profession, with much of our understanding of disease and treatment shaped by research and clinical experience that did not adequately represent women. 

The consequences of this are still being felt today.

Many doctors have not received adequate training in conditions that predominantly affect women, including menopause, PMDD and endometriosis. 

At the same time, symptoms associated with menstruation, menopause and hormonal changes have historically been seen as something that women should learn to tolerate, or ‘put up with’. Symptoms that would be considered worthy of further investigation in men are often blamed on hormonal changes in women and not followed up. 

How differently might these be viewed if everyone experienced monthly bleeding throughout a significant proportion of their lives?

Women with chronic pain related to other conditions, such as arthritis, migraine and fibromyalgia, are also less likely to have their symptoms taken seriously than men presenting with the same concerns, and often have to make more visits to the doctor than men in order to be referred to a specialist. 

The University of Cambridge study found that 43% of females reported that their autoimmune symptoms had previously been misattributed to a psychiatric cause, compared with 33% of males. 

They were also more likely to report having their symptoms misdiagnosed as being ‘psychosomatic’ – in other words, that physical symptoms were caused or worsened by psychological factors. 

An opportunity for change

This is reflected in the conversations I have with women seeking treatment through Releaf Cannabis Clinic. 

Many come to medical cannabis having already tried conventional treatments, often with limited success or problematic side effects.

There is growing interest in the potential of cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain and female reproductive conditions like endometriosis, but the clinical evidence remains limited.

At Releaf, we collect detailed patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) throughout treatment, which show that many are finding it beneficial for symptom improvement and overall quality of life. 

This is not the whole solution, of course. Medical cannabis is one part of a much wider conversation about unmet needs in women’s health. We still desperately need to address the gaps in research and the barriers that prevent women from receiving timely diagnoses and appropriate care.

But one of the biggest things I hear from patients exploring medical cannabis treatment is that they feel heard in specialist clinics, particularly when their experiences with statutory healthcare services have left them feeling unsupported.

All patients should feel able to discuss all treatment options openly, with decisions guided by clinical expertise, individual circumstances and careful consideration of the risks.

Women have spent decades not feeling heard by healthcare professionals. As science and access to cannabis-based medicines expand, we have an opportunity to change that. 

Now patients need action, not more platitudes.