Global analysis shows persistent worldwide headache burden with major migraine impact.
Headache disorders continue to affect a massive share of the global population, and new research shows that the problem has barely shifted in more than three decades. According to a large international study set for publication in The Lancet Neurology, nearly three billion people experienced some form of headache disorder during 2023. That comes out to about one in every three people, reflecting a steady pattern that stretches back to 1990. The findings come from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 analysis, which examined migraine, tension-type headache, and headaches brought on by medication overuse across multiple regions.
The research team, led by scientists at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, measured the toll through years lived with disability, a metric that reflects how long people live with health problems that interfere with daily tasks and general well-being. A wide range of population studies from around the world formed the basis of the estimates, offering a detailed look at how headaches affect people of different ages and sexes.
Headache disorders ranked sixth among all causes of disability worldwide in 2023, with an age-standardized rate of 541.9 years lived with disability per 100,000 people. Women experienced significantly higher levels of headache-related disability than men across every age group. The analysis found that women spent more time living with symptoms, often dealing with longer and more frequent episodes. Researchers stressed that the pattern has remained stable for decades, showing no major decrease despite medical advances.
Migraine continues to be the most disabling form of headache, even though tension-type headache is more widespread. Migraine accounted for around 90% of years lived with disability linked to headache disorders. The global rate reached 487.5 per 100,000 people in 2023, with the highest burden appearing in North Africa and the Middle East, followed closely by regions with higher incomes such as Europe and North America. Tension-type headache, while nearly twice as common, carried a far smaller disability weight.
Medication-overuse headache added another major layer to the problem. This condition occurs when frequent use of headache medicine ends up worsening the original headache. Although the condition affects a smaller share of the population, its effect is severe for those who have it, and it pushes global disability numbers higher. Medication overuse contributed more than one-fifth of all disability linked to headache disorders in 2023. For migraine, medication overuse made up 22.6% of disability in men and 14.1% in women. For tension-type headache, the share was even higher for both sexes.
Researchers involved in the study emphasized that a large portion of this burden could be prevented with better access to basic headache care. Many low- and middle-income regions still lack sufficient treatment options, even though effective and affordable approaches already exist. The study’s authors stressed that improving primary care systems, increasing access to appropriate treatment, and educating people on safe medication use could greatly reduce global disability levels. Headache disorders remain widespread, but much of the long-term impact can be eased through steady attention, broader resources, and improved support.
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Global study reveals persistent burden of headache disorders
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