Women feel more pain than men across all 11 body areas: study

Women experience higher levels of physical pain than men across all 11 anatomical areas studied, with the differences particularly pronounced in headaches, facial pain and abdominal pain, according to a global study published in Nature Medicine.

The researchers analysed self-reported pain data from more than 6.1 million people across 118 countries, covering ages five to 100 and above.

By examining people's accounts of their pain rather than relying solely on medical diagnoses, the study aimed to capture experiences that may be missed because of limited access to healthcare.

Women were 83% more likely than men to experience facial pain, 74% more likely to experience headaches and 60% more likely to experience stomach or abdominal pain.

The findings also add to concerns about the gender pain gap, as women may be less likely to receive appropriate pain relief or have their complaints taken seriously.

The study found that pain generally increased most sharply before the age of 55, peaked in middle or later adulthood, and declined in older age for many body areas. However, the pattern varied by location. Abdominal pain peaked at around age 23, while headaches peaked at approximately 34. Pain in the neck, shoulders and elbows peaked around ages 59 to 62, whereas pain in the hips, knees and back continued to rise into older age.

Lower back pain was the most prevalent condition globally, affecting about 40% of people, while facial pain was the least common, affecting roughly 2%.

The burden also varied by income level. People in lower-income countries experienced substantially more pain in later life, with lower back pain rates approaching twice those in wealthier countries.

In North America and Europe, smoking, obesity and low income accounted for up to 27% of the pain burden. These factors explained only around 12% in poorer regions, suggesting that other influences, including manual labour, infectious diseases and limited access to medical care, may contribute.

The researchers also found that obesity nearly doubled the risk of foot, ankle and knee pain, with a smaller effect on hip pain.