Although pain is a universal human sensation experienced by both men and women, there is a question regarding differences in how it is perceived. A global study on pain in men and women revealed striking patterns.
A recent large-scale global study published in the journal Nature Medicine established that women worldwide experience more severe physical pain compared to men. Researchers completed the largest study in the history of 'pain epidemiology.'
This study is based on data from over six million people across 118 countries, covering the period from 1990 to 2025, including individuals from five years old to seniors over one hundred years old.
Scientists analyzed pain in eleven major body areas, such as the head, face, neck/shoulder, arm/wrist, elbow, chest, abdomen, back, thigh, leg, ankle, and knee. The results showed that in all these 11 segments, women reported pain more frequently than men. The largest difference was found in cases of headaches, facial pain, and abdominal pain.
According to Professor Andrew Horn of the University of Aberdeen and Professor Rebecca Slater of Oxford University, this study provides strong evidence of a gender gap in pain perception. The study also found that women's pain is often ignored in clinics, not given due attention, or they are not prescribed sufficient painkillers.
The study indicated that for both sexes, the incidence of pain increased until the age of 55, after which it peaks around age 75. Approximately 40 percent of study participants complained of back pain, while facial pain was recorded in at least 2 percent of people. Head, facial, and stomach pain reach their peak in middle age and then begin to decline, whereas weight-bearing joint pain, such as in the back, thighs, and knees, constantly worsens with age.
Globally, 18.3 percent of the pain burden is linked to three main socio-medical causes: smoking, obesity, and poverty. In poor areas with a low Human Development Index (HDI), the elderly suffer from lower back pain approximately twice as much as residents of wealthy areas.