A new Norwegian study reveals that one in six people on the planet suffers from headaches daily, with half of them experiencing pain severe enough to be considered migraines. According to "Medical Express," the research reviewed 357 previous studies conducted between 1961 and 2020, concluding that more than half of the global population experiences active headache disorders.
The new study conducted by researcher Lars Jakob Støenfær and his colleagues from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is notable for its recording of the incidence rates of specific types of headaches. The study found that 7% of the world's population suffers from migraines on any given day, while 9% experience tension and stress headaches.
Additionally, the study noted that 17% of women experience migraines annually, compared to 8.5% of men. The research observed that migraine episodes lasting 15 days or more were more common among women.
The research team discovered that headaches are the leading cause of work-related disability for individuals under 50 years of age. While physical pain tends to increase as individuals approach retirement age, migraines and headaches are the most prevalent sources of pain during the years when people are most active.
The causes of headaches vary and include genetic factors, stress, sleep deprivation, and medication overuse. The research team advocated for adopting preventive measures against headache causes and establishing health systems that provide good care for headache sufferers, enabling them to minimize the negative impact as much as possible.
