A bit more about pain

I've heard stories about women giving birth and asking for pain relief being told that they can do without and that quite a lot of women before them have done without. I've heard many stories like that in Russia, some in Finland and a few even in the US. It does not happen very often in the civilized world, but sometimes it does.

I've needed a few stitches a few times in my life. When I came to an emergency room, they have always put some painkiller on the wound before putting the stitches in. None have ever said "so many people before you have gotten stiches without anaesthesia, you can too" although, assumedly, I am not the first person in the world who has had a cut that needed stiches. Never heard about anyone else in a civilized country being denied anaesthesia in such way when getting stitches. Why's the difference?