Sex differences in the prevalence of painful conditions appear after pubertyVariation in symptom severity across the menstrual cycle occurs in a number of clinical pain conditionsSex steroid hormones act at a number of sites in both the peripheral and central nervous systems and in both reproductive and non-reproductive tissuesSex steroid hormones have traditionally been thought to alter transcription; however, there is evidence that there are also non-genomic effectsSex steroid hormones can have organisational effects from as early as in uteroThe relationship between sex hormones and pain is complex.