Who tolerates the pain of surgical procedures better: men or women?  The answer may surprise you. 

Recently I wrote an article about whether men could withstand the pain of childbirth as well or better than women. We all know how that turned out.

Now a new study suggests that there may be more differences in how men and women experience pain.

In a study extending over four years, more than 10,000 patients were interviewed following surgeries. The surgical procedures included both major surgeries, such as vascular or orthopedic surgeries as well as minor surgeries, such as diagnostic procedures and biopsies. Interestingly, men were 27% more likely to experience moderate pain episodes after major procedures, while women were 34% more likely to report greater pain following minor procedures.

The researchers caution people not to make too much of these results. The study is not meant to be a definitive answer to the war between the sexes and how they feel pain.

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