Pain Prevalence Higher in Women, Increases Most Rapidly Before 55

Recent research has found that women experience pain more often than men and that pain prevalence increases more rapidly before the age of 55. ljubaphoto · E+/Getty A large global study found that pain prevalence increases most rapidly before age 55 and is consistently higher in women than men across 11 body sites. Back pain was the most commonly reported type of pain, affecting 40% of participants. The likelihood of experiencing any bodily pain increased with age, while high intensity and generalized pain peaked in mid-to-late adulthood before declining. Smoking, obesity, and lower household income were associated with a higher burden of pain. Women experience a higher prevalence of pain than men across different areas of the body, according to a large global study published October 5 in Nature Medicine. The analysis, which included more than 6 million people, also found that pain prevalence generally increased with age, with the most rapid increases occurring before age 55. The findings come as lower back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis — all common causes of pain — are projected to become more prevalent globally by 2050. Pain is more prevalent in women than men Pain, especi…

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