Pain conditions are more common in women

Getting a diagnosis and treatment for these conditions can be challenging.

When it comes to many common conditions that cause chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, arthritis, or lupus, it's difficult not to notice a trend. In most instances, a majority of the people diagnosed with these conditions are women, says Dr. Peter H. Schur, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a rheumatologist and co-director of the Lupus Center at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Not only are women disproportionately affected by conditions that cause chronic pain, but they sometimes have difficulty getting a definitive diagnosis as to what is causing their pain, and receiving appropriate treatments, says Dr. Schur.