International Medical Research Frontier

Objective Pain experience is characterized by large inter-individual variability. This article reviews the literature on the differences in pain and summarizes the reasons for the differences. Methods A review of the published literature on individual differences in pain was performed. Individual differences in pain variables were extracted, and the causes and intervention strategies were summarily analyzed. Results Multiple biological and psychosocial variables contributed to these individual differences in pain, including demographic variables, genetic factors, and psychosocial processes. Genetic associations for pain vary by gender and ethnicity. Moreover, genetic factors also interact with psychosocial factors, including stress and catastrophic pain, to influence pain. The individual and combined effects of these biological and psychosocial variables result in a unique combination of factors that contribute to each individuals pain. Conclusions Understanding these factors is critical for providing optimal pain care, and future research is needed to further elucidate the nature of these biopsychosocial interactions in order to provide more informed and personalized pain care.

Pain differences; Race; genetics; Social psychology; Biopsychology