A 43-year-old member asked:
Why do some people have a high pain tolerance? does it have to do with their nervous system?
1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Bennett Machanicanswered
Neurology 53 years experience
Genetics: Biological variation clearly explains the diversity. But in general, have found that women seem to have a higher pain tolerance than men. Suspect this is really more on a higher cortical function level, brain function, rather than peripheral nerve receptors.
1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 31-year-old member asked:
How to determine if I have high pain tolerance?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. David Rosenfeldanswered
Pain Management 28 years experience
High tolerance: There is no test. I think this is just something that you learn over time.
It is widely believed that regular exposure to painful stimuli will increase pain tolerance – i.e. Increase the ability of the individual to handle pain by becoming more conditioned to it.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Jan 22, 2019
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