“It’s All in Your Head”: The Dismissal of Women’s Symptoms

Many women have left doctor’s offices feeling unheard or brushed off. This isn’t just personal experience—it’s backed by research. Women are significantly more likely to have their symptoms dismissed as emotional or psychological, especially in cases of chronic or unexplained pain.

A study published in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics found that medical professionals often psychologize women’s symptoms, leading to missed or delayed diagnoses (Samulowitz et al., 2018). This kind of bias has serious consequences, particularly in emergency settings where every minute matters.

The 8-Year Diagnosis: Living with Undiagnosed Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women globally, yet it takes an average of 8 years to receive a proper diagnosis. Why such a long delay? Many women are told their symptoms—severe cramps, fatigue, nausea—are simply part of a “normal” period.

But they’re not. The real problem is systemic: medical training has long focused on male biology, leaving women’s health conditions under-researched and underdiagnosed (Criado Perez, 2019). As a result, millions of women live in pain without answers or adequate care.

The Heart Attack That Goes Unnoticed

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Yet female patients often don’t receive the same care as men during cardiac emergencies. One reason? Their symptoms don’t always match the “classic” male profile.

Instead of sharp chest pain, women may experience shortness of breath, nausea, back pain, or fatigue. A study in Circulation showed that women are less likely to receive timely treatment and interventions like bypass surgery or angioplasty—even when presenting with the same heart attack indicators as men (Mehta et al., 2016).

Medicine Built on Male Bodies

Historically, women were excluded from clinical trials due to concerns about hormonal cycles or potential pregnancy. The result? Decades of medical data based on male physiology.

This research gap continues today. A study in Pharmacy Practice emphasized how drug dosages and effects often aren’t tailored to women, despite known differences in metabolism and side effects (Liu & Dipietro Mager, 2016). One alarming example: the dosage of the sleep aid zolpidem (Ambien) had to be cut in half for women—after it was already widely prescribed.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Fixing gender inequality in healthcare requires more than awareness—it demands action. This includes:

Training healthcare providers to recognize and counter gender bias.

Conducting inclusive research that centers women’s experiences.

Empowering patients to speak up and advocate for their health.

Most importantly, we need to stop normalizing women’s suffering as just “part of life.” Pain is not a personality trait. It’s a signal—and it deserves to be heard.

References

Criado Perez, C. (2019). Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Abrams Press.

Liu, K. A., & Dipietro Mager, N. A. (2016). Women’s involvement in clinical trials: Historical perspective and future implications. Pharmacy Practice, 14(1), 708. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708

Mehta, L. S., Beckie, T. M., DeVon, H. A., Grines, C. L., Krumholz, H. M., Johnson, M. N., … & Wenger, N. K. (2016). Acute myocardial infarction in women: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 133(9), 916–947. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000351

Samulowitz, A., Gremyr, I., Eriksson, E., & Hensing, G. (2018). “Brave Men” and “Emotional Women”: A theory-guided literature review on gender bias in health care and gendered norms towards patients with chronic pain. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(2), 387–399. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110518782947