If you get regular headaches, you are not alone. A new report says half of us suffer from them. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked at 357 different studies on headaches from 1961 to 2020. The report was published in "The Journal of Headache and Pain". The studies were mainly from rich countries. They included information on general headaches, migraines, and headaches from tension. The researchers said that 52 per cent of people in the study suffered from some form of headache every year. The lead researcher, Lars Jacob Stovner, was surprised that the numbers were so big and that so many people got headaches.

The researchers found that women are more likely to get headaches than men. They said 17 per cent of women get migraines, compared to 9 per cent of men. Six per cent of women get headaches on 15 or more days a month, while the number is three per cent for men. Mr Stovner said: "What is clear is that overall, headache disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and can be a [great pain]." He said more people are getting headaches, saying: "The data does suggest that headaches and migraine rates may be increasing." Stovner added that more research was needed. He said it was important, "to analyze the different causes of headaches…to target prevention and treatment more effectively".