Do Men or Women Report More Pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis patients -- do you think men or women have more pain associated with the disease? You probably think there's no difference linked to gender. Well, think again. Although visible rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are essentially the same, women often find the disease to be more painful than men. Reports have shown that female rheumatoid arthritis patients also have poorer quality of life than men with the disease. Women "feel" sicker.

According to a report from the Ortho SuperSite, Karolinska Institutet researchers say that men undergoing the same treatment for rheumatoid arthritis as women often do better -- both objectively (physical arthritis symptoms) -- and subjectively (in their own experience and opinion). The biggest difference was subjective though. Even when joint symptoms improved at the same level for men and women, the women reported worse results. Researchers concluded that doctors should not disregard the difference, but rather consider it when prescribing rheumatoid arthritis treatment. What do you think? Does it make sense to you that such a difference exists between men with rheumatoid arthritis and women with the disease?

Related Resources:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Screening Quiz
• Test Your Knowledge: Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: 10 Things You Should Know
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Are All Joints Affected the Same Way?
• Does Pain Perception Vary Among People Who Have Arthritis?

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_{Photo by Sean Warren (iStockphoto)}