Effect of stress on pain perception in young women

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of physical and mental stressors on pressure pain threshold (PPT), and pressure pain tolerance (PTOL) values, and to compare these different types of stressors on its ability to affect PPT and PTOL values in young women. We also correlated body mass index (BMI) with PPT and PTOL in young women.

METHODS: This was a self-controlled study carried out on 79 second-year female medical students in the Department of Physiology, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia during the year 2007. The students were assessed before, and after they were subjected to a mental (exam), and 2 physical stressors. Measurements of PPT and PTOL were carried out using a pressure algometer. The 2 physical stressors used were: cold water immersion and isometric exercise (ISO EX) with a dynamometer. Students' body mass indices were measured in addition to the measurement of blood pressure and heart rate for each student before, and after exposure to the stressors.

RESULTS: All 3 stressors significantly increased the PPT values (p=0.000). The PTOL was also significantly increased immediately after exposure to the physical stressors (p=0.000), while for the mental stressor, the PTOL readings were not significantly increased. Among the 3 types of stressors, the cold water immersion was the most effective in increasing PPT and PTOL. Moreover, a significant (p=0.009) negative correlation was demonstrated between the BMI and PTOL readings.

CONCLUSION: Various types of physical and mental stressors significantly increased PPT and PTOL readings in young female adults, in addition to the significant findings that students with higher body mass indices tolerated pain less.