https://newatlas.com/medical/female-hormones-opioids/
"In a breakthrough finding, researchers have discovered that immune cells near the spinal cord are triggered by estrogen and progesterone to produce a natural painkiller called enkephalin."
Maybe this explains some sex-related differences in PWME, and explains some pain issues. Since ME seems to involve the immune system somehow, it wouldn't be surprising if it affected these cells, at least in some people.
I wonder whether the existing data could be checked for pain-related changes for patients who underwent significant changes in the levels of those hormones. Seems like a cheap, easy test for that theory.
"In a breakthrough finding, researchers have discovered that immune cells near the spinal cord are triggered by estrogen and progesterone to produce a natural painkiller called enkephalin."
Maybe this explains some sex-related differences in PWME, and explains some pain issues. Since ME seems to involve the immune system somehow, it wouldn't be surprising if it affected these cells, at least in some people.
I wonder whether the existing data could be checked for pain-related changes for patients who underwent significant changes in the levels of those hormones. Seems like a cheap, easy test for that theory.