As the old saying goes, women are often taught that “beauty is pain”. From high heels, hair removal, cosmetic surgery, tight clothing and various treatments and peels, the list never ends. That same philosophy seems to extend into other areas as well: For women, healthcare and self-care can often be pain. Women are still more likely to be offered minor tranquilizers and antidepressants than analgesic pain medication; they are less likely to be referred for further diagnostic investigations than men are, and women’s pain is more likely to be seen as having an emotional or a psychological cause. Additionally, drug dosages are calculated based on studies done overwhelmingly on male subjects, and events like childbirth have historically been considered synonymous with “natural pain”, without pressing need for anesthetic innovation.
In the same realm, while not as extreme as childbirth, preventing breast cancer by getting an annual mammogram can be another painful but all too familiar experience for women. Koning believes that women’s health deserves attention beyond producing final medical results – dignity and comfort in treatment is not a bonus or a luxury, but a human right.
In numbers published by AuntMinnie, 86K Dutch women are now calling for less painful breast cancer screening by signing a petition that calls for a less painful breast cancer screening method. While these surveys taken by major breast imaging companies indicate that pain in mammography is being talked about more than ever before, too many many women all over the world choose to not undergo mammography because they experience it as painful. Our Koning Vera Breast CT device eliminates compression while still producing accurate results, with each scan bringing us closer to a better, pain-free future in breast imaging and breast cancer detection. As we continue to expand, learn more about our technology here.
Sources:
“Sex differences in pharmacokinetics predict adverse drug reactions in women.” Zucker and Prendergast, Biology of Sex Differences
Opinion: “Medical Myths About Gender Roles Go Back to Ancient Greece. Women Are Still Paying the Price Today”, Elinor Cleghorn, June 17, 2021, TIME
“86K Dutch women call for less painful breast cancer screening”, By AuntMinnie.com staff writers