TL;DR
Turn quiet afternoons into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
A study analyzing self-reported pain data from more than 6.1 million people in 118 countries found that pain does not rise uniformly with age. Musculoskeletal pain often increased into old age, while several other types peaked earlier; reported prevalence was higher among women and diverged by country development level in later life.
A global analysis of 6,125,459 people across 118 countries and territories found that pain follows different age patterns depending on where it occurs: back, hip and knee pain generally rose into older age, while several other types peaked earlier. Published in Nature Medicine, the study also found higher reported pain prevalence among women across all 11 anatomical sites it examined, and differences between countries with lower and higher Human Development Index scores among older adults.
According to the study published in Nature Medicine, researchers combined self-reported pain information from 902 population-based data sources, covering participants aged 5 to more than 100. The underlying studies were conducted from 1990 through 2025, and 55% of participants were female. The analysis assessed pain at 11 anatomical sites, addressing a challenge in comparing existing surveys: questionnaires, recall periods and definitions of pain differ across studies.
The study’s estimates showed that prevalence varied by body site, from 2% for facial pain to 40% for back pain. Women reported higher prevalence than men at each of the 11 sites. The largest differences in the estimates were reported for facial pain, headache and stomach or abdominal pain, with prevalence among women respectively 83%, 74% and 60% higher than among men.
In the researchers’ age-specific estimates, patterns were not uniform. Back, hip and knee pain rose most rapidly between ages 20 and 55, then continued increasing to their highest levels at age 75 or older. By contrast, pain at seven of the 11 sites peaked in mid-to-late adulthood and then declined; the pattern was clearest for headache, abdominal pain, neck or shoulder pain, elbow pain and facial pain. Across sites, the steepest increases often occurred before 55.
The study also reported distinct curves for broader pain measures. Estimated prevalence of any bodily pain rose from about 30% at age 5 to 70% among people aged 100 or older. High-intensity pain peaked around age 50, while generalized pain peaked around age 70; both declined afterward in the estimates. These are population-level patterns, not predictions about an individual’s experience.
Pain Patterns Differ Across Adulthood
The findings challenge the simplified assumption that pain steadily worsens with age. The researchers’ age- and body-site estimates suggest that pain prevention and services may need to account for both age and body site: some pain becomes more common earlier, while lower-body musculoskeletal pain tends to remain a growing concern in later life. The study authors suggest that prevention may need to begin earlier and be tailored to different types of pain.
In the study’s regional analysis, estimates for any bodily pain, joint pain and back pain rose more sharply from age 40 in countries with lower Human Development Index (HDI) values. At age 80 or older, estimated low-back pain prevalence in low-HDI countries was nearly twice the estimate in high-HDI countries. The authors note that these differences could help identify where further research and pain-related services are needed, but the analysis does not establish why the gap occurs.
The researchers also examined smoking, obesity and low household income. Their analysis estimated that these factors collectively accounted for about 18% of site-specific pain burden globally, with modeled estimates varying by region, from 12.6% in sub-Saharan Africa to 27.1% in eastern Europe. The study reports associations and modeled attributable fractions, not proof that any one factor caused an individual’s pain.
Products Worth Considering
Therabody Theragun Prime 6th Generation Deep Tissue Massage Gun, Navy
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9900 Prestige Electric Toothbrush
Levoit Vital 100S-P Air Purifier with Washable Pre-Filter
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As the study authors explain, pain is a major source of disability, but there is no objective biomarker that quantifies pain. Many global estimates rely on clinically defined conditions and modeled data. Those approaches support disease surveillance, but may miss people who have limited access to health care or whose pain is not captured by a diagnosis.
The researchers note that population surveys can include people beyond clinical settings, but their results are difficult to compare when they use different questions, timeframes and anatomical categories. In their Nature Medicine study, the authors sought to harmonize self-reported data and produce reference curves that can be compared across ages, cohorts and countries. The breadth of the data is a strength, but the underlying surveys still differ and span a 35-year period.
The study used the Human Development Index, which combines measures of health, education and standard of living, to compare national groupings. The researchers found that pain prevalence across regions was broadly similar in early adulthood for some measures, then diverged after age 65. Their estimates showed lower prevalence earlier in life in countries with lower HDI values, followed by sharper increases during midlife and higher estimates in older age.
Limits of the Global Estimates
The estimates in the study come from self-reported survey data, not a single standardized examination or diagnostic test. Differences in survey methods and definitions can affect comparisons, even when researchers harmonize the information. The results describe reported prevalence at a population level; they do not determine the cause, severity or treatment needs of any person’s pain.
The study also identifies associations, rather than demonstrating that smoking, obesity or low household income caused pain. The authors’ estimate that these factors account for a portion of pain burden varies by region, and the factors behind higher pain prevalence in lower-HDI countries remain poorly characterized. The supplied report does not specify all details of the statistical uncertainty around each estimate, so the curves should not be read as exact forecasts.
As the report notes, it is unclear how much of the regional difference reflects health and social conditions, access to diagnosis and care, survey practices, or other influences. Further work would be needed to separate those explanations and test whether the observed patterns hold under more consistent measurement.
How Researchers May Use the Curves
The study presents its age- and region-specific estimates as reference curves for comparing pain burden in future research, population cohorts, clinical groups and countries. Researchers can use them to identify where a particular group’s reported pain prevalence differs from the broader estimates, while taking account of differences in population and measurement.
The findings also point to areas for follow-up: why pain prevalence diverges in later life across HDI groupings, which conditions or social factors contribute to that gap, and how consistent survey methods could improve comparisons. The published report does not announce a specific next study or policy change. Until more evidence clarifies the regional drivers, the observed patterns are a basis for further investigation rather than a prescription for any one intervention.
Key Questions
How many people and countries did the study cover?
The Nature Medicine study analyzed self-reported pain data from 6,125,459 participants in 902 population-based sources across 118 countries and territories. Participants ranged from age 5 to more than 100, and the source studies were conducted between 1990 and 2025.
Does the study show that pain always gets worse with age?
No. The study’s estimates showed that back, hip and knee pain generally rose into older age, but several other types—including headache, abdominal pain and facial pain—peaked earlier and then declined. Any bodily pain increased across the lifespan, while high-intensity and generalized pain each peaked at different ages.
Which groups reported more pain?
In the study’s estimates, women had higher pain prevalence than men across all 11 anatomical sites studied. The largest reported differences were for facial pain, headache and stomach or abdominal pain. The analysis also found higher late-life prevalence for some pain measures in lower-HDI country groupings.
Does the study explain why pain differs between countries?
Not fully. The researchers found associations between smoking, obesity and low household income and increased pain prevalence, and estimated that these factors accounted for about 18% of site-specific pain burden globally. The report says the drivers of pain in lower-HDI countries remain poorly characterized; the results do not establish individual causes.
Can these findings predict an individual’s pain?
No. The study’s curves summarize reported patterns across populations and are intended as reference estimates. They do not diagnose a condition or predict what an individual will experience.
Source: rss
