Though there is a lack of women-specific research into health issues that affect both men and women, it is wrong to say that issues that impact only women are well researched. Issues that impact only women are not sufficiently studied, and are often disregarded as a “normal part of being a woman,” though these issues may cause incredible amounts of pain and greatly reduce quality of life for sufferers.
One example of this is fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disease. This term seems to be a catch-all diagnosis: a diagnosis can be made if one has had widespread pain for over three months with no underlying medical condition to cause it. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, around 10 million people have the disease, with over 75% of cases appearing in women. Though it impacts so …show more content…
Many attributed it to symptoms of depression, or simply something that was all in the sufferer’s head. This lack of recognition as a real disease is one of the things that caused research about it to slow, and only rather recently has gotten more recognition.
Many other diseases that disproportionately (or only) impact women are also not well researched, or discredited as a disease. Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and primary ovarian insufficiency have no known causes, but each impacts millions of women. Many autoimmune conditions, like vitiligo and multiple sclerosis, also impact women disproportionately to men, and usually have no long term cure.
Furthermore, studies have shown that women with chronic pain are generally not taken seriously by medical professionals. A report in the Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics found doctors would treat women who reported their pain as an eight out of ten as a six, and write off women’s complaints as emotional pain. This means that women with chronic pain diseases have an extremely difficult time getting the help that they need to manage their
One example of this is fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disease. This term seems to be a catch-all diagnosis: a diagnosis can be made if one has had widespread pain for over three months with no underlying medical condition to cause it. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, around 10 million people have the disease, with over 75% of cases appearing in women. Though it impacts so …show more content…
Many attributed it to symptoms of depression, or simply something that was all in the sufferer’s head. This lack of recognition as a real disease is one of the things that caused research about it to slow, and only rather recently has gotten more recognition.
Many other diseases that disproportionately (or only) impact women are also not well researched, or discredited as a disease. Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and primary ovarian insufficiency have no known causes, but each impacts millions of women. Many autoimmune conditions, like vitiligo and multiple sclerosis, also impact women disproportionately to men, and usually have no long term cure.
Furthermore, studies have shown that women with chronic pain are generally not taken seriously by medical professionals. A report in the Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics found doctors would treat women who reported their pain as an eight out of ten as a six, and write off women’s complaints as emotional pain. This means that women with chronic pain diseases have an extremely difficult time getting the help that they need to manage their