Q. Why do some people experience more pain than others in response to the same thing; for example, a sprained wrist or ankle???

A. There are genetic and emotional differences between people; often, pain has an emotional “overlay.” For example, women who have been sexually abused report higher levels of pelvic pain than other women.

There are two components to pain: firing of the nerve that leads to the brain, and the suffering component. So, for example, if someone does repetitive lifting at a job they hate, the pain they experience may be at least partly related to their feelings about the job.