--- title: Do women with PMDD feel pain differently and have different hormone levels than other women? description: Yes. In this small study, women with PMDD felt pain more easily and more unpleasantly, and had lower levels of cortisol and beta-endorphin (the body's natural url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-beta-endorphins-and-pain-sensitivity-in-premenstrual-dysphoric-2002/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with PMDD feel pain differently and have different hormone levels than other women? Case-control study, 2002 # Do women with PMDD feel pain differently and have different hormone levels than other women? Yes. In this small study, women with PMDD felt pain more easily and more unpleasantly, and had lower levels of cortisol and beta-endorphin (the body's natural pain-relieving and calming chemicals) than women without PMDD. Early or limited evidence 27 women with PMDD and 27 healthy women (controls) ## What they did Researchers compared 27 women with PMDD to 27 healthy women. Both groups had blood pressure and hormone levels measured and underwent a pain test (using reduced blood flow to cause pain) during both the follicular phase (after a period) and the luteal phase (before a period) of the menstrual cycle. ## What they found In both cycle phases, PMDD women had lower resting cortisol and beta-endorphin levels, felt pain sooner, could tolerate pain for less time, and rated pain as more unpleasant. In the luteal phase specifically, PMDD women reported more pain unpleasantness and intensity and had lower beta-endorphin levels. They also tended to have higher blood pressure at rest and during the pain test. ## What it means for you This suggests PMDD may be linked to how the body's natural opioid (pain and mood regulating) system and stress hormones work, which could help explain why pain and mood symptoms happen together. The study was small (27 per group) and only shows an association, not that low hormone levels cause the pain sensitivity. 27 Women with PMDD studied 27 Healthy control women ## About the study Original title Menstrual cycle, beta-endorphins, and pain sensitivity in premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Straneva PA, Maixner W, Light KC et al. Journal Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association Year 2002 Study design Case-control study Participants 27 What was tested No treatment tested; this compared pain sensitivity and hormone levels, not a therapy Read the paper [doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.21.4.358](https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.21.4.358) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2025 Do women with PMS or PMDD report lower quality of life than women without these conditions? Review, 2017 Can combining different types of treatments help PMS more than using one approach alone? Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Cohort study, 2025 Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD? Survey study, 2023 What factors make PMS worse in college students? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗