Study finds women have a lower pain threshold than men (surely not!)

Study shows men are better at coping with pain as they want to appear macho

Men have long claimed they can tolerate pain better than women, with women using the fact many of us go through childbirth as proof we have higher pain thresholds.

But a new study, by Leeds Metropolitan university, has found men can cope better with pain and won't let on about their suffering as they want to look 'macho'.

Scientists from the university tested 200 British and Libyan volunteers. Men of both nationalities came top, and the Libyans were generally less sensitive to pain.

They monitored sensitivity, endurance and willingness to report and admit to pain, by putting them through pain-inducing experiments, including jabbing them in the hand with a blunt tip.

The researchers said gender stereotypes mean women are more likely to admit they are in pain.

Pain scientist Dr Osama Tashani, who was involved in the study, said: ‘Traditionally, high levels of stoicism are associated with men and high levels of sensitivity are associated with women.

'Some ethnic groups are described as more stoic, while others are viewed as more free in expressing their pain behaviour. We did not detect differences in pain unpleasantness.’

Do you think you can cope better with pain than men? What do you think of the findings? Let us know in the comments below.

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