Women are more likely to experience from pain symptoms than men due to biological and social factors. Changes in the body throughout the female life cycle, as well as external social and cultural pressures, place increased demands on women, resulting in pain symptoms for some.

To verify the most common pain locations and the severity of pain experienced by women.

This is a cross-sectional study that included women and individuals who identified as female, aged 18 or older, and residing in Brazilian territory. This research followed the ethical precepts established by National Health Council (CNS) resolution n° 510/2016 and its complementary and followed General Law on the Protection of Personal Data (LGPD) 13.709/2018. The body map of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) includes three key domains: pain location, pain intensity, and pain interference in daily life. It was used to identify both the location and intensity of body pain. We assessed pain severity using a BPI domain, where the score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Pain severity was verified by the average of the worst pain felt, the weakest pain felt, the average pain felt, and the pain felt at the moment. To answer the BPI, we considered pain symptoms in the past 24 hours. Nine hundred and sixty-four adult women participated in this study. Data is presented in percentages and means ± standard deviation.

According to the body map, 64.2% of the women experienced headache, 34.3% experienced neck pain, 22.4% experienced right knee pain, 20.4% experienced sacral pain, 10% experienced thigh, gluteal and right shoulder pain. The average pain of the participants was 2,8 ± 2,4 on a scale of 0 to 10.

Most women reported headaches, followed by neck pain and right knee pain. Other affected areas included the sacral region, thigh, gluteal, and right shoulder, but with lower frequency. The average pain intensity was moderate, varying among participants. Those symptoms might be related to high levels of stress, physical overload, physiological changes, and sedentary behaviors that cause pain symptoms and those external factors need to be investigated to identify the causes of these symptoms. Although the pain severity by domain was considered as mild pain, other factors such as the impact of pain on women's daily lives must be considered in order to reduce pain symptoms and the impact on these women's lives.

Understanding the location of body pain and identifying the severity of symptoms are essential for a more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Some women may struggle to express their symptoms and emotions, making it difficult to communicate the true impact of pain on their daily lives to healthcare professionals.