Professional Documents
Culture Documents
35.ouch! The Different Ways People Experience Pain PDF
35.ouch! The Different Ways People Experience Pain PDF
FEATURE
Applegate, K.L., Keefe, F.J., Siegler, I.C. et M.E. et al. (2008). Ethnic differences personality profiles and personality Japanese and Euro-Americans.
al. (2005). Does personality at college in the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR). disorders in chronic pain patients. European Journal of Pain, 9, 389–393.
entry predict number of reported pain Pain, 134, 91–96. Pain, 133, 197-209. Keefe, F.J., Lefebvre, J.C., Egert, J.R. et
conditions at mid-life? A longitudinal Campbell, C.M., France, C.R., Robinson, Fitzgibbon, B.M., Giummarra, M.J., al. (2000). The relationship of gender
study. The Journal of Pain, 6, 92–97. M.E. et al. (2008). Ethnic differences Georgiou-Karistianianis, N. et al. to pain, pain behaviour, and disability
Campbell, C.M., Edwards, R.R. & in diffuse noxious inhibitory controls. (2010). Shared pain: From empathy to in osteoarthritis patients: The role of
Fillingim, R.B. (2005). Ethnic The Journal of Pain, 8, 759–766. synaesthesia. Neuroscience and catastrophising. Pain, 87, 325–334.
differences in responses to multiple Diller, A. (1980). Cross-cultural pain Biobehavioural Reviews, 34, 500–512. Levine, F.M. & De Simone, L.L. (1991).
experimental pain stimuli. Pain, 113, semantics. Pain, 9, 9–26. Hobara, M. (2005). Beliefs about The effects of experimenter gender
20–26. Conrad, R., Schilling, G., Bausch, C. et al. appropriate pain behaviour: Cross- on pain report in male and female
Campbell, C.M., France, C.R., Robinson, (2007). Temperament and character cultural and sex differences between subjects. Pain, 44, 69–72.
special issue
Myers, C.D., Robinson, M.E., Riley, J.L. III (2007). Ethnic differences regarding (2009). Exploring relationships for gender predict the response to
& Sheffield, D. (2001). Sex, gender tactile and pain thresholds in the visceral and somatic pain with morphine. An experimental cold pain
and blood pressure: Contributions to trigeminal region. The Journal of Pain, autonomic control and personality. study. European Journal of Pain, 10,
experimental pain report. 8, 363–369. Pain, 144, 236–244. 103–112.
Psychosomatic medicine, 63, 545–550. Paulson, P.E., Minoshima, S., Morrow, T.J. Palmer, B., Macfarlane, G., Afzal, C. et al. Rahim-Williams, F.B., Riley, J.L. III,
Nayak, S., Shiflett, S.C., Eshun, S. & & Casey, K.L. (1998). Gender (2007). Acculturation and the Herrera, D. et al. (2007). Ethnic
Levin, F.M. (2000). Culture and gender differences in pain perception and prevalence of pain amongst South identity predicts experimental pain
effects in pain beliefs and the patterns of cerebral activation during Asian minority ethnic groups in the sensitivity in African Americans and
prediction of pain tolerance. Cross noxious heat stimulation in humans. UK. Rheumatology, 46, 1009–1014. Hispanics, 129, 177–184.
Cultural Research, 34, 135–151. Pain, 76, 223–229. Pud, D., Yarnitsky, D., Sprecher, E. et al. Sargent, C. (1984). Between death and
Komiyama, O., Kawara, M. & De Laat, A. Paine, P., Kishor, J., Worthen, S.F. et al. (2006). Can personality traits and shame: Dimensions of pain in Bariba
special issue
special issue
Cultural differences
‘between death and shame, includes items such as ‘Men (or women) should be able to tolerate
death has the greater beauty’ pain in most circumstances’ or ‘It is acceptable for men (or women)
to cry when in pain’. Using this questionnaire in a 2005 study, Mieko
These lines come from a Bariba proverb quoted in a 1984 article by Hobara at the New York State Psychiatric Institute found that 32
the anthropologist Carolyn Sargent, now at Washington University in Japanese men and women consistently rated it as less appropriate
St Louis. The Bariba are an ethnic group located in Benin and Nigeria for people of either gender to express pain compared with 32 Euro-
in West Africa and whenever Sargent American men and women. Using
attempted to talk to them about pain, she the same scale in a 2000 study,
found that they turned the discussion to Sangeetha Nayak and colleagues
issues of honour and shame, many of them found that college students in India
citing the proverb above. The Bariba, at similarly rated expressions of pain
least at the time of Sargent’s study, believed as less acceptable than their
that expressions of pain were a shameful counterparts in the USA. In line with
sign of weakness. Boys were circumcised in their beliefs, the Indian participants
groups and taught not to show a flicker of also showed greater pain tolerance
pain (girls too were circumcised but were than the US sample.
allowed to cry). Women were expected to Other researchers have examined
deliver their own babies and any outward differences between cultures in their
signs of pain were considered taboo. Do linguistic terms for pain. Anthony
these behavioural mores have any influence Diller writing in 1980 noted that
on pain perception? Bariba women told some languages have one general
Sargent that there was pain in labour but term for pain which is then tailored
there was no point in crying – if you’re going with modifiers – for example, sharp
to die it won’t help, they said. Recalling her pain or stinging pain – whereas other
clitoridectomy as child (a practice that has languages, such as Thai, have
since been outlawed) another woman told several different words that refer
Sargent that no pain is as excruciating and The Bariba believed that expressions of pain were a directly to different types of pain. He
that after that experience no pain will ever shameful sign of weakness (Sargent, 1984) also notes that the Khamti language
overwhelm a person. of Assam in India has four different
Several psychologists investigating cross-cultural attitudes to words for itchy and that the Japanese have different terms for pain
pain have used the ‘Appropriate Pain Behaviour Questionnaire’, which depending on the status of the sufferer.
beliefs and upbringing can affect the way Maastricht University in a 2006 paper in their youth on the Minnesota
their body responds to pain. ‘My showed this sensitivity is also reflected in Multiphasic Personality Inventory
simplistic assumption is that the only an exaggerated cortical response to pain measures of ‘femininity’ (male
way culture can influence pain is via as measured by EEG in an electrical pain participants only), ‘paranoia’ (female
some psychological mechanism, because paradigm. Aspects of personality also seem participants only), ‘hypochondriasis’, or
for me that’s the conduit through which to predict the way a person responds to ‘hysteria’ also tended to be more likely to
it’s manifested in the individual,’ says pain relief. Dorit Pud of the Pain Relief have a chronic pain condition in middle
Fillingim. ‘So if I grow up in a culture Unit at the Rambam Medical Centre in age.
that believes pain is noble and a sign of Israel found that men and women who As for the typical character profile of
a higher power, that would alter my scored more highly on ‘harm avoidance’ a chronic pain patient, Rupert Conrad at
beliefs about pain, would alter my (a trait resembling ‘neuroticism’ that’s the University of Bonn in a 2007 paper
cognitive appraisals of pain and then derived from Robert Cloninger’s compared 207 patients with 105 pain-free
those beliefs and appraisals would Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire) controls, finding that the patients scored
influence my behavioural, biological and showed a larger response to morphine in higher on ‘harm avoidance’ and lower on
physiological responses related to pain.’ terms of their subsequent performance on ‘self-directedness’ (a mix of the Big Five
the cold pressor task. factors of Conscientiousness and
Personality isn’t only related to acute Extraversion) and ‘cooperativeness’ (akin
Personality pain sensitivity and tolerance, it’s also to the Big Five factor of Agreeableness).
Another major factor that’s associated with predictive of chronic pain conditions The patients also tended to score higher
the way a person experiences pain is in later life, and people diagnosed with on depression and state anxiety, with 41
personality. Although research in this area a chronic pain condition tend to exhibit per cent meeting the psychiatric criteria
is hampered by the use of varied a characteristic personality profile. For for a personality disorder (PD) – most
personality measures, a consistent instance, Katherine Applegate and frequently paranoid or borderline PD.
finding is that people who score higher colleagues at Duke University Medical It’s obviously sensible to take rest,
on neuroticism or a neuroticism-like factor Centre caught up with over 2000 relax and take precautions after a painful
tend to show greater sensitivity to pain university students after a 30-year gap injury. However, Conrad says a person
and reduced tolerance. Helen Vossen at and found that those who’d scored highly who scores high in harm avoidance will
special issue
continue to behave in this way even after parasympathetic activity. One possible Conrad agrees, adding: ‘Future studies
their injury has healed. He adds that a explanation is that increased addressing the issue of chronic pain have
related personality factor associated with parasympathetic nervous system activity to give an even deeper insight into the
chronic pain is low self-efficacy: ‘That corresponds to a ‘freeze’ response in the complex interplay of personality factors,
means a feeling of helplessness and participants higher in neuroticism, psychological mechanisms and the
a conviction of not being capable of although how this relates to pain associated neurobiological mechanisms.
controlling a situation or being able experience remains to be worked out. The identification of a risk factor such
to overcome obstacles associated with Conrad says there’s evidence that the as low self-efficacy by personality
chronic pain.’ personality factors underlying chronic questionnaires – for example,
‘As a consequence,’ pain may be temperament and character inventory –
he explains, ‘chronic pain associated with may lead to an earlier identification of
treatment should aim at decreased populations at risk and may lead to an
psychological mechanisms activation of the earlier treatment, which may positively
enhancing self-efficacy and prefrontal cortex affect outcome.’
lessen avoidance (e.g. – a key brain How long until these kind of benefits
cognitive behavioural therapy) region involved might be seen? ‘I’m sure we’ll get there
and at pharmacologic agents in the top-down one day,’ Fillingim says, ‘but I’m not sure
improving supraspinal modulation of how far away that is. The more we get
modulation of pain. It is pain. ‘This into these individual differences, be it
important to note that neuroanatomical genetic, gender, ethnic group or whatever,
psychotherapeutic and structure can be the more complicated everything looks!’
pharmacologic approaches activated by a A particularly compelling justification
should be seen as cognitive for continuing to study individual
complementary treatments.’ anticipation of differences in pain experience comes
Somewhat paradoxically, the potential from as yet unpublished research looking
whilst the prevalence of controllability of at genetic influences on pain perception.
borderline PD is elevated pain,’ he says. ‘A Fillingim and his colleagues have
among patients diagnosed with personality-based identified a marker for a particular gene
a chronic pain condition, the conviction of that’s associated with increased pain
same diagnosis is also uncontrollability sensitivity in one ethnic group but
associated with reduced pain and helplessness reduced pain sensitivity in another.
sensitivity on laboratory and an avoidance This means that if biomedical researchers
measures. In one of pain makes ignore factors like ethnicity and gender,
representative study published activation of these they risk forming conclusions about
in 2004, Christian Schmahl at neuroanatomical genetic influences that are too general.
Johannes Gutenberg-University used an structures less likely and hampers top- ‘This just shows that we’ve got a lot
infrared laser as the painful stimulus and down modulation of pain.’ of work to do,’ says Fillingim, ‘but
found 10 women diagnosed with hopefully it will be useful in the long
borderline PD to have higher heat pain run.’
thresholds and lower subject pain ratings Applications and controversies Inevitably perhaps, this field has
than 14 non-clinical controls. In 2006 the We’ve seen how factors like ethnicity and attracted criticism from those who fear
same researcher and his team linked this personality are related to people’s experience the findings will be used to bolster
reduced pain sensitivity to reduced pain- of pain, a key challenge now is to use this stereotypes. Fillingim and others in the
related activation in the anterior cingulate information to improve people’s quality of field are sensitive to these concerns and
gyrus and amygdala of patients with life. ‘The goal ultimately,’ says Fillingim don’t want their results to be used in that
borderline PD compared with controls. ‘is to gather all the information we have way. ‘To me the broader concern is with
Recently attention has turned to about an individual – their age, weight, health disparities such that ethnic groups
identifying the physiological mechanisms, race, sex, genotype data, psychology experience poorer health than white
not merely the neural correlates, that questionnaire results – put all that into people do – that’s obviously driven by
might account for the link between a computer and based on an abundance many factors including socio-economic
personality and pain perception. Two of evidence that we already have, the status but what we’re finding may imply
years ago, in an unpleasant-sounding computer will tell us, for example, what that there are individual characteristics
experimental paradigm, Peter Paine and drug is going to work best for that person.’ of people from different ethnic groups
colleagues at Hope Hospital in And even more helpful, Fillingim says, is making them more or less prone to
Manchester identified a link between that same information might help predict experiencing pain or disability associated
personality, pain and autonomic nervous who’s at risk for developing chronic pain. with pain, and unless we understand
system activity. They used a balloon For example, if it’s judged that a patient what’s driving these differences, we’re
inflated in the oesophagus to simulate has a high chance of developing a chronic not going to be able to remove the health
visceral pain and found that this triggered pain condition after surgery, it might be disparities even if we fix all the system-
an increase in parasympathetic nervous better to pursue alternative treatment level problems. So I think the benefits
system activity, as identified through options where they exist. ‘So, it’s not just of this kind of research far outweigh the
heart-rate variability, in participants who picking the right drug or dose,’ Fillingim concerns that people have.’
scored more highly in neuroticism, says, ‘it’s really understanding the risk for
whereas repetitions of the development of chronic pain because
the same stimulus in those lower in chronic pain is what we really have trouble I Dr Christian Jarrett is The Psychologist’s
neuroticism led to reduced helping people with.’ staff journalist. chrber@bps.org.uk