Connect with us

Local

Africa: Some People Say They Have a High Pain Threshold. Here's Why

Published

on

324 Views

We’ve all heard someone claim they have a “high pain threshold” as if it’s a mark of strength or resilience. But does science support the idea that some people genuinely feel less pain than others?
Pain is an experience shaped by our psychology and social context, with many variables.
In our interviews with children about their experiences of pain, many link pain to “toughness”. It seems that social expectations shape our understanding of pain from a young age.
There are also plenty of misconceptions about pain thresholds, which contribute to health-care inequities that affect millions of people.
What is (and isn’t) a pain threshold?
A pain threshold technically refers to the point at which an event – such as heat, cold, or pressure – becomes painful.
It’s not the same as pain tolerance, which measures how much pain someone can endure before they require relief.
While these two terms often become muddled in everyday language, they describe different facets of the pain experience. Distinguishing between them is crucial, especially in research settings.
How stable is a pain threshold?
The stability of a pain threshold is controversial, and probably depends on how it is tested. Certain techniques produce fairly consistent results.
But the pain threshold may be more of a “zone of uncertainty” than a fixed point of transition from non-painful to painful.
We have argued that how variable someone’s pain threshold is may, in future, provide valuable information that could help us understand their risk of chronic pain and the best treatment options for them.
Biological influences on pain thresholds
Pain thresholds are influenced by a variety of biological factors. For now, let’s explore genetics, hormones, and the nervous and immune systems.
Sex and gender differences
Men often have higher pain thresholds than women in experimental settings. This may be due to hormonal differences, such as the influence of testosterone.
On the other hand, gender-based differences in pain sensitivity could reflect social norms that demand more stoicism from men than from women.
The redhead question
Some research has found that people with red hair may experience pain differently, due to the MC1R (melanocortin-1 receptor) gene variant.
However the mechanisms underpinning this finding are not yet clear. For example, redheads may have a lower pain threshold for certain noxious threats, such as heat, but a higher threshold for others, like electricity. Overall, the evidence is far from settled.
The nervous system in chronic pain
Some people with long-lasting pain can have lower pain thresholds. This may be due to central sensitisation, where the nervous system appears to be on higher alert for potentially harmful events.
It’s not yet clear whether some people have lower pain thresholds before they develop chronic pain, or whether their thresholds drop later. However, the presence of central sensitisation may help clinicians to work out what treatments will work best.
The immune system and pain thresholds
The immune system can influence nerve signals and pain thresholds. Inflammation in the body, such as when you have a cold or the flu, can drop your pain threshold quite suddenly.
Many people experienced a short-lived version of inflammation-induced central sensitisation when they had COVID. Suddenly, the smallest things produced a headache or body pain.
An acute injury such as an ankle sprain also triggers inflammation that drops your pain threshold. One of the reasons why ice helps an ankle sprain is it controls inflammation at the injury site, allowing your threshold for pain to recover a little.
All of these biological influences (and more) are just the beginning of the pain threshold puzzle.
Psychological influences
Psychological factors such as anxiety, fear and worrying about pain are associated with lower pain thresholds.
On the flip side, strategies like mindfulness and relaxation may raise pain thresholds.
Social influences on pain thresholds
Cultural norms shape how we perceive and express pain. Some cultures encourage stoicism, while others normalise openly vocalising discomfort.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
These norms influence how health-care providers interpret and treat pain, often leading to disparities. Researchers are now zooming out to identify these sorts of social influences on pain.
Implications for pain recovery
Understanding pain thresholds is not just an academic exercise; it has practical implications for health care. Misjudging someone’s pain can lead to inadequate treatment or the overuse of pain medications.
Research has shown women and people from minoritised groups are more likely to have their pain dismissed by health-care providers.
We need to better understand pain thresholds to enable tailored pain treatments. A whole-person perspective could shake up pain treatments and usher in a more supportive, helpful version of personalised health care.
From genetics to psychology to culture, pain is as diverse and complex as the people who experience it.
Joshua Pate, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney
Tory Madden, Associate Professor and Pain Researcher, University of Cape Town
This article is republished from The Conversation Africa under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 100 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Local

Africa: Africa's Richest Man Aliko Dangote Expected in Zimbabwe for U.S.$1billion Business Tie-Up

Published

on

2 Views

ARGUABLY Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is scheduled to visit Zimbabwe this week to discuss a US$1 billion deal that straddles across investments in cement, coal mining and power generation.
Dangote’s much expected visit this Wednesday becomes his third after previously similar engagements with Zimbabwean authorities in 2015 and 2018 amid reports he withdrew interest following “absurd” conditions presented by government.
The State media reported that during his visit, the Nigerian billionaire will meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other top bureaucrats to cobble details of his envisaged investment plan.
“Discussions are likely to centre around details of the deal, particularly mining concessions, licences, tax issues and other incentives, work permits for experts, security of investment and mutual benefits of the deal,” reported the State-owned Sunday Mail.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
It further said sources privy to the deal say Dangote, who is the group chief executive officer, wishes to set up a cement factory, limestone quarry and grinding plant, coal mine and power station.
“The projects are cumulatively valued between US$800 million and US$1 billion. Special Presidential Investment Adviser to the United Arab Emirates Dr Paul Tungwarara told The Sunday Mail that the businessman was keen to invest in the country.
“We are expecting him on the 12th of November, and he is expected to meet His Excellency, President Mnangagwa. He will then present his investment plan to the President. Thereafter, we will then be able to say and talk about some of the investments he is pursing in Zimbabwe,” the newspaper quoted its source.
Dangote Industries Limited, a Lagos-based diversified conglomerate, has vast business interests in cement, flour, sugar, salt, pasta, beverages, fertiliser, real estate, oil and gas sectors and logistics. Its operations span other critical business interests, including a large oil refinery, a petro-chemical plant and a fertiliser complex in Nigeria. It also has operations in 16 other African countries.
Its largest subsidiary, Dangote Cement, has integrated factories and operations across 10 African countries, namely, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania and the Republic of Congo.
Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

Continue Reading

Local

Africa: Land Is Africa's Best Hope for Climate Adaptation – It Must Be the Focus At COP30

Published

on

9 Views

Agriculture, forestry and other land uses together account for about 62% of Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, land degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss are eroding Africa’s resilience.
But land – especially agriculture – has been on the margins of climate change initiatives. Even at the annual global climate change conference, land hasn’t featured much.
This is changing. In September 2025, Africa’s climate community met in Ethiopia, to agree on the continent’s climate priorities ahead of this year’s global climate conference, COP30. They agreed that land could be Africa’s most powerful tool in tackling climate change.
Much will depend on securing finance at COP30 for agroforestry, forest management and soil carbon restoration projects.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Read more: Climate crisis is a daily reality for many African communities: how to try and protect them
I’ve been researching land for over 20 years. My research focuses on how to sustainably regenerate land, how community forest enterprises can combat deforestation, and how to rebuild forests as a way of combating climate change.
For this reason, I argue that COP30 must place land restoration and sustainable land management at the heart of the climate agenda. It should recognise that healthy soils, forests and ecosystems are not side issues to climate change. They are the very foundation of economic growth and making the world resilient to climate disasters.
Read more: Climate disasters are escalating: 6 ways South Africa’s G20 presidency can lead urgent action
This is especially critical for Africa, whose people and economies depend so heavily on the land. Agriculture alone, which is intrinsically tied to land, employs over two thirds of Africa’s labour force and typically accounts for 30%-40% of gross domestic product. Yet climate change disasters like prolonged droughts, rising temperatures and destructive floods are steadily eroding the land.
Millions of people in Africa could lose their farms, income, food, and future chances if COP30 does not recognise how land, nature, and climate change are all connected.
Why Africa must prioritise land and nature at COP30
Africa’s agriculture, the backbone of most economies on the continent, has been badly affected by more frequent droughts, floods and unpredictable rainfall. As a result, African countries sometimes lose an estimated 1%-2% of their gross domestic product in a year.
Over half of Africa’s population depends on crops that are fed only by rain. Therefore, extreme weather events hit the majority of Africans directly. At the same time, nearly half of the continent’s land area is degraded.
Read more: Indigenous knowledge systems can be useful tools in the G20’s climate change kit
This affects agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of around 500 million people.
Forest ecosystems such as the Congo Basin, the Guinean forests and Africa’s dryland forests are disappearing rapidly. This is already having devastating consequences for communities that rely on them for food, fuel and income.
Africa must negotiate climate finance with one voice
Adapting to climate change remains Africa’s most urgent priority. The good news is that African countries are already deploying land based actions (adaptation and using land to sequester carbon and reduce emissions) as a weapon against climate change. They are achieving this by expanding agroforestry, restoring wetlands and managing grasslands more sustainably.
This boosts soil health and increases the carbon stored in the ground. These projects are very useful in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, protecting livelihoods and building resilience.
The September 2025 second Africa Climate Summit made the continental emphasis on land official. Its Addis Ababa declaration placed land and nature-based solutions at the centre of Africa’s climate agenda. This was a step forward from Africa’s 2023 climate summit declaration, which made only passing references to land.
Read more: African countries shouldn’t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused – economist
What’s needed now is for Africa to unite and focus on three key climate change areas:
What Africa needs to do at COP30
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
Read more: African countries gear up for major push on climate innovation, climate financing and climate change laws
Peter Akong Minang, Director Africa, CIFOR-ICRAF, Center for International Forestry Research – World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)
This article is republished from The Conversation Africa under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

Continue Reading

Local

Africa: African Union Commission Welcomes and Congratulates the Republic of South Africa As G20 Chair and Host

Published

on

10 Views

1. The African Union Commission (AUC) warmly expresses its support for the Republic of South Africa as G20 Chair and welcomes the country for hosting the G20 Summit in Africa for the first time. This milestone reflects South Africa’s growing role in global governance.
2. As the current Chair of the G20, South Africa has shown exceptional leadership in promoting the priorities of the Global South, advancing sustainable development, and strengthening inclusive global governance.
3. The Republic of South Africa is a vibrant democracy that upholds equality, human rights, and the rule of law. Its Constitution and policies reflect values aligned with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
4. South Africa is a nation rich in diversity, home to people of many races, cultures, languages, and faiths living together in unity. This inclusivity is a source of national strength and global admiration.
5. The African Union encourages all international partners to engage with South Africa and the wider African continent on the basis of mutual respect, truth, and constructive cooperation, supporting Africa’s continued contribution to global peace, development, and prosperity.
Read the original article on African Union.
AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy.
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

source

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 an24.africa