Women suffer more pain than men across the whole body, major global study finds
Researchers looked at pain around the world and across the human lifespan, finding steepest rise happens before age 55
TL;DR
- Women report higher pain levels than men across all measured bodily sites.
- The gender pain gap, where women's pain is undertreated, is confirmed as a global issue.
- The steepest increase in pain occurs before age 55, during working and reproductive years.
- Back, hip, and knee pain increase across the lifespan, while high-intensity pain peaks around 50.
- Smoking, obesity, and low income account for 18.3% of the global pain burden.
- The study analyzed self-reported pain data from over 6 million individuals across 118 countries.