FROM ‘UNDER THE WEATHER’ TO ‘AGONISING’: MISUNDERSTANDING OF PAIN WORDS IS LEAVING WOMEN’S PAIN UNTREATED
New research by Nurofen reveals that women across the UK use vastly different words when talking about pain, depending on where they’re from. Those words aren’t always understood or taken seriously by their doctor, contributing
to widespread pain dismissal.
Londoners frequently use words that risk underplaying their symptoms, such as “under the weather” (69%) and “poorly” (61%). At the same time women in London use language that indicates pain intensity more often than men – 43% of London women use “agony / agonising”
compared to just 20% of men – and more than half (52%) of women in London felt that healthcare professionals didn’t fully understand the words they used.
Three in five (60%) London women also felt that their pain was ignored or dismissed by a healthcare professional – the highest rate of any UK region. The consequences don’t stop at the initial appointment. London women (87%) were more likely than women nationally
(74%) to reach out to alternative, unverified sources for help and advice after dismissal.
While celebrating local accents and dialects, using specific pain words like ‘dull’, ‘twisting’ and ‘cramping’ can help doctors get to the root of women’s pain problems. Acting as a ‘pain translator’, Nurofen’s Pain Pass helps women access common medical language
to describe their pain. The free tool, co-created with women living with chronic pain and healthcare professionals, is being signposted in Boots stores nationwide and available online.
From 25th June until 2nd July 2026, physical copies of the Pain Pass will be available to pick up in London Boots. Prominent visuals highlighting the reality of gender pain dismissal and signposting the Pain Pass will also be shown in store.
The brand is also providing training to over 10,000 Boots pharmacy staff nationwide to recognise and respond to gender pain dismissal, helping more women conveniently access information and advice in their local pharmacy.
Freya Barnes, 47, living with ulcerative colitis, said: “Living with pain reshapes every aspect of your life from having to cancel plans at the last minute to never quite knowing what each day would bring. But one of the hardest parts is feeling
like you are not truly heard by your doctor and leaving appointment after appointment with no clear path forward. That’s why tools like the Pain Pass matter – because it gives you the words to explain the pain you’re going through, and being understood is
the first step towards getting the right help.’
Sanjay Nathwani, Boots pharmacist said: “Women have always been able to visit their local Boots pharmacy as a first port of call for access to advice, support and treatment where needed. The supplementary Nurofen training further supports pharmacy
teams to help women navigate their own personal experiences at any stage of life. We can be there at a time that’s convenient right on the high-street and without the need for an appointment.”
The partnership reflects the NHS 10-year plan’s emphasis on care in the community, meeting women in the places they already visit regularly, at a time when unregulated health information has never been more prevalent.
Dr Bill Laughey, Senior Medical Scientist at Reckitt said: “Words we use to describe pain matter because finding a common language with your doctor helps them make more informed decisions that in turn lead to diagnosis and treatment. Nurofen’s
Pain Pass was built on that principle – the tool acts as a pain translator, helping women articulate what they’re experiencing. Now, our training programme for pharmacy staff extends that into a new community touchpoint, enabling more pharmacists to recognise
and address gender pain dismissal, so more women can get the support they need.”
Physical copies of Nurofen’s free Pain Pass are available at Boots store in London Picadilly and can be downloaded at nurofen.co.uk/see-my-pain/pain-pass/.
