The Gender Of Pain – Big problems | Simmie Foster | TEDxBeaconStreet

pain it’s something we go through our

pain it’s something we go through our whole lives trying to avoid from the

whole lives trying to avoid from the

whole lives trying to avoid from the acute pain of a burn or cut its the

acute pain of a burn or cut its the

acute pain of a burn or cut its the chronic pain of cancer to the psychic

chronic pain of cancer to the psychic

chronic pain of cancer to the psychic pain of depression but perhaps the pain

pain of depression but perhaps the pain

pain of depression but perhaps the pain that hurts the worst is a social pain

that hurts the worst is a social pain

that hurts the worst is a social pain it’s the pain of isolation of being

it’s the pain of isolation of being

it’s the pain of isolation of being excluded of being an outsider now I’ve

excluded of being an outsider now I’ve

excluded of being an outsider now I’ve been an outsider many times in my life

been an outsider many times in my life

been an outsider many times in my life I am a black Jewish woman psychiatrist

I am a black Jewish woman psychiatrist

I am a black Jewish woman psychiatrist neuroscientist immunologist I’ve never

neuroscientist immunologist I’ve never

neuroscientist immunologist I’ve never really fit in but I’m here to tell you

really fit in but I’m here to tell you

really fit in but I’m here to tell you that there’s a power and coming in from

that there’s a power and coming in from

that there’s a power and coming in from the outside it can help you to make

the outside it can help you to make

the outside it can help you to make connections and to generate insight and

connections and to generate insight and

connections and to generate insight and I want to tell you a story about how I

I want to tell you a story about how I

I want to tell you a story about how I came into the outside to science and

came into the outside to science and

came into the outside to science and made connections between pain and the

made connections between pain and the

made connections between pain and the immune system and why that’s important

immune system and why that’s important

immune system and why that’s important for women so one day when I was in

for women so one day when I was in

for women so one day when I was in graduate school my best friend called me

graduate school my best friend called me

graduate school my best friend called me and told me that she had lupus and my

and told me that she had lupus and my

and told me that she had lupus and my heart sank because I knew what that

heart sank because I knew what that

heart sank because I knew what that meant

meant

meant lupus is an autoimmune disorder that’s a

lupus is an autoimmune disorder that’s a

lupus is an autoimmune disorder that’s a disease where the immune system instead

disease where the immune system instead

disease where the immune system instead of doing its job fighting off infection

of doing its job fighting off infection

of doing its job fighting off infection instead attacks the body and it causes

instead attacks the body and it causes

instead attacks the body and it causes all sorts of problems the only

all sorts of problems the only

all sorts of problems the only treatments we have are these powerful

treatments we have are these powerful

treatments we have are these powerful immunosuppressants that sometimes can be

immunosuppressants that sometimes can be

immunosuppressants that sometimes can be worse than the actual disease and over

worse than the actual disease and over

worse than the actual disease and over the years I’ve watched my friend lose

the years I’ve watched my friend lose

the years I’ve watched my friend lose her hair get skin problems breathing

her hair get skin problems breathing

her hair get skin problems breathing problems and sometimes have pain so bad

problems and sometimes have pain so bad

problems and sometimes have pain so bad she couldn’t get out of bed and yet

she couldn’t get out of bed and yet

she couldn’t get out of bed and yet throughout this all she has had the most

throughout this all she has had the most

throughout this all she has had the most wonderful positive attitude she’s

wonderful positive attitude she’s

wonderful positive attitude she’s incredibly resilient she goes out and

incredibly resilient she goes out and

incredibly resilient she goes out and has adventures I on the other hand felt

has adventures I on the other hand felt

has adventures I on the other hand felt helpless and almost guilty because Here

helpless and almost guilty because Here

helpless and almost guilty because Here I am I’m a physician and I’m an

I am I’m a physician and I’m an

I am I’m a physician and I’m an immunologist and I can’t give her any

immunologist and I can’t give her any

immunologist and I can’t give her any better treatment options

better treatment options

better treatment options so my friends story is not unusual lupus

so my friends story is not unusual lupus

so my friends story is not unusual lupus is a disease that affects 9 times more

is a disease that affects 9 times more

is a disease that affects 9 times more women than men for every 9 women that

women than men for every 9 women that

women than men for every 9 women that get it one man gets it and indeed over

get it one man gets it and indeed over

get it one man gets it and indeed over 80% of all autoimmune disease occurs in

80% of all autoimmune disease occurs in

80% of all autoimmune disease occurs in women our immunity isn’t the only

women our immunity isn’t the only

women our immunity isn’t the only disorder that happens more to women

disorder that happens more to women

disorder that happens more to women depression and anxiety and pain also

depression and anxiety and pain also

depression and anxiety and pain also happen more in women now the pain might

happen more in women now the pain might

happen more in women now the pain might be counterintuitive because women go

be counterintuitive because women go

be counterintuitive because women go through the pain of childbirth so aren’t

through the pain of childbirth so aren’t

through the pain of childbirth so aren’t they more pain tolerant that’s actually

they more pain tolerant that’s actually

they more pain tolerant that’s actually not the case women report pain more and

not the case women report pain more and

not the case women report pain more and their pain neurons are more sensitive I

their pain neurons are more sensitive I

their pain neurons are more sensitive I started to get really interested in this

started to get really interested in this

started to get really interested in this problem of pain as a psychiatrist and

problem of pain as a psychiatrist and

problem of pain as a psychiatrist and seeing so many women come sent to me

seeing so many women come sent to me

seeing so many women come sent to me from physicians because they couldn’t

from physicians because they couldn’t

from physicians because they couldn’t find a cause for the pain and I got

find a cause for the pain and I got

find a cause for the pain and I got interested in the molecular basis and I

interested in the molecular basis and I

interested in the molecular basis and I was surprised to find that pain in the

was surprised to find that pain in the

was surprised to find that pain in the immune system are tightly linked so our

immune system are tightly linked so our

immune system are tightly linked so our neurons and our immune cells talk to

neurons and our immune cells talk to

neurons and our immune cells talk to each other in almost every single organ

each other in almost every single organ

each other in almost every single organ of the body and when that communication

of the body and when that communication

of the body and when that communication goes well we fight off infection and we

goes well we fight off infection and we

goes well we fight off infection and we keep homeostasis or balance in the body

keep homeostasis or balance in the body

keep homeostasis or balance in the body but when that communication doesn’t work

but when that communication doesn’t work

but when that communication doesn’t work when it’s dysfunctional we get these

when it’s dysfunctional we get these

when it’s dysfunctional we get these disorders of autoimmunity and of pain

disorders of autoimmunity and of pain

disorders of autoimmunity and of pain we’ve been studying this for such a long

we’ve been studying this for such a long

we’ve been studying this for such a long time I started to wonder why don’t we

time I started to wonder why don’t we

time I started to wonder why don’t we understand these disorders better and

understand these disorders better and

understand these disorders better and why don’t we understand why they happen

why don’t we understand why they happen

why don’t we understand why they happen more in women so once again I got to

more in women so once again I got to

more in women so once again I got to come in from the outside I went from

come in from the outside I went from

come in from the outside I went from being an immunologist and I went into a

being an immunologist and I went into a

being an immunologist and I went into a neuroscience lab and that’s when I got a

neuroscience lab and that’s when I got a

neuroscience lab and that’s when I got a clue so the first observation I made was

clue so the first observation I made was

clue so the first observation I made was that neuroscientists tend to study males

that neuroscientists tend to study males

that neuroscientists tend to study males men and male organisms like male mice

men and male organisms like male mice

men and male organisms like male mice and a study that came out just a few

and a study that came out just a few

and a study that came out just a few years ago did a survey of the sexes

years ago did a survey of the sexes

years ago did a survey of the sexes studied by different disciplines in

studied by different disciplines in

studied by different disciplines in science and found there was an

science and found there was an

science and found there was an overwhelming male based bias and the

overwhelming male based bias and the

overwhelming male based bias and the bias was worst in neuroscience with

bias was worst in neuroscience with

bias was worst in neuroscience with five-and-a-half experiment studying

five-and-a-half experiment studying

five-and-a-half experiment studying males – one experiment

males – one experiment

males – one experiment studying females it was second worst in

studying females it was second worst in

studying females it was second worst in pharmacology and that’s kind of scary

pharmacology and that’s kind of scary

pharmacology and that’s kind of scary because that’s the science that studies

because that’s the science that studies

because that’s the science that studies and tests drugs and 80% of all the drugs

and tests drugs and 80% of all the drugs

and tests drugs and 80% of all the drugs we made as a venn were tested at males

we made as a venn were tested at males

we made as a venn were tested at males only this was shocking to me because as

only this was shocking to me because as

only this was shocking to me because as an immunologist I study predominantly

an immunologist I study predominantly

an immunologist I study predominantly females and so the first observation is

females and so the first observation is

females and so the first observation is there is a male bias in neuroscience the

there is a male bias in neuroscience the

there is a male bias in neuroscience the second observation is that the

second observation is that the

second observation is that the neuroscientist in the immunologists

neuroscientist in the immunologists

neuroscientist in the immunologists don’t really talk to each other and it’s

don’t really talk to each other and it’s

don’t really talk to each other and it’s not because we don’t like each other

not because we don’t like each other

not because we don’t like each other it’s because the language and the focus

it’s because the language and the focus

it’s because the language and the focus and the techniques are different and so

and the techniques are different and so

and the techniques are different and so sometimes it’s hard for neuroscientists

sometimes it’s hard for neuroscientists

sometimes it’s hard for neuroscientists to really hear what the mean ologists

to really hear what the mean ologists

to really hear what the mean ologists are saying and vice-versa and so there’s

are saying and vice-versa and so there’s

are saying and vice-versa and so there’s a separation in the sexes and there’s a

a separation in the sexes and there’s a

a separation in the sexes and there’s a separation in the sciences and in the

separation in the sciences and in the

separation in the sciences and in the sexes that they study here’s the irony

sexes that they study here’s the irony

sexes that they study here’s the irony the body has made the connection the

the body has made the connection the

the body has made the connection the nervous system and the immune system

nervous system and the immune system

nervous system and the immune system talked to each other all the time in the

talked to each other all the time in the

talked to each other all the time in the body but the scientists who study these

body but the scientists who study these

body but the scientists who study these two fields don’t and this reminded me of

two fields don’t and this reminded me of

two fields don’t and this reminded me of a parable of blind people who are

a parable of blind people who are

a parable of blind people who are encountering an elephant for the first

encountering an elephant for the first

encountering an elephant for the first time so they want to figure out what is

time so they want to figure out what is

time so they want to figure out what is this elephant thing and one goes and

this elephant thing and one goes and

this elephant thing and one goes and grabs onto the leg and says Oh an

grabs onto the leg and says Oh an

grabs onto the leg and says Oh an elephant is like a pillar and the other

elephant is like a pillar and the other

elephant is like a pillar and the other goes and starts pulling on the thao and

goes and starts pulling on the thao and

goes and starts pulling on the thao and said oh no an elephant is clearly like a

said oh no an elephant is clearly like a

said oh no an elephant is clearly like a rope you are wrong but the reality is an

rope you are wrong but the reality is an

rope you are wrong but the reality is an elephant is like both of those things

elephant is like both of those things

elephant is like both of those things and even more so how do we fix this

and even more so how do we fix this

and even more so how do we fix this problem how do we tell the true nature

problem how do we tell the true nature

problem how do we tell the true nature of the elephant part of the answer lies

of the elephant part of the answer lies

of the elephant part of the answer lies in coming in from the outside and I’m

in coming in from the outside and I’m

in coming in from the outside and I’m starting to get comfortable with this

starting to get comfortable with this

starting to get comfortable with this pain of being an outsider I was able to

pain of being an outsider I was able to

pain of being an outsider I was able to make these observations precisely

make these observations precisely

make these observations precisely because I came in as a neurosis as an

because I came in as a neurosis as an

because I came in as a neurosis as an immunologist into neuroscience and

immunologist into neuroscience and

immunologist into neuroscience and moreover because I was a black woman

moreover because I was a black woman

moreover because I was a black woman that was more likely to suffer from

that was more likely to suffer from

that was more likely to suffer from these disorders so more and more of us

these disorders so more and more of us

these disorders so more and more of us are starting to connect we’re starting

are starting to connect we’re starting

are starting to connect we’re starting to talk and this connection is actually

to talk and this connection is actually

to talk and this connection is actually generating

generating

generating in sight we’re using words like neuro

in sight we’re using words like neuro

in sight we’re using words like neuro immune system and as we talk more and

immune system and as we talk more and

immune system and as we talk more and more we’re generating more insight into

more we’re generating more insight into

more we’re generating more insight into the nature of pain and I believe this is

the nature of pain and I believe this is

the nature of pain and I believe this is going to help us find treatments for

going to help us find treatments for

going to help us find treatments for both men and women so this story of

both men and women so this story of

both men and women so this story of neuroscience and immunology is just an

neuroscience and immunology is just an

neuroscience and immunology is just an example there are many many many

example there are many many many

example there are many many many elephants out there some of you may be

elephants out there some of you may be

elephants out there some of you may be dealing with elephants in your own lives

dealing with elephants in your own lives

dealing with elephants in your own lives so I would say be fearless cross

so I would say be fearless cross

so I would say be fearless cross boundaries jump into an eel fit new

boundaries jump into an eel fit new

boundaries jump into an eel fit new field try something you’ve never tried

field try something you’ve never tried

field try something you’ve never tried before

before

before be curious about another perspective and

be curious about another perspective and

be curious about another perspective and welcome those in who are of different

welcome those in who are of different

welcome those in who are of different backgrounds that is how we’re going to

backgrounds that is how we’re going to

backgrounds that is how we’re going to address these elephants of pain

address these elephants of pain

address these elephants of pain depression autoimmunity and that’s how

depression autoimmunity and that’s how

depression autoimmunity and that’s how we’re gonna give hope I have hope for

we’re gonna give hope I have hope for

we’re gonna give hope I have hope for those who are suffering from these

those who are suffering from these

those who are suffering from these disorders who are living with these

disorders who are living with these

disorders who are living with these disorders including my friend