Pain is making Brits feel 10 years older

Aches and pains are taking a huge toll on the nation's wellbeing, with a new 2026 pain census report by Deep Relief, the topical muscle and joint pain specialists, revealing that more than a quarter of Brits say persistent discomfort makes them feel around 10 years older than their actual age.

In fact, on their worst back, joint and muscle pain days:

• 12% of people feel 20 or more years older, and this is despite four in 10 Brits claiming to have quite a high pain threshold.

To help soothe pain, the Deep Relief range of products can offer soothing relief unlike other topical painkillers on the market. Plus, 85% of people who used Deep Relief Duo Pain Relief Gel and/or Deep Relief Joint Pain Gel said it helped relieve their muscle and joint pain.

Pharmacist and advisor to Deep Relief, Noel Wicks says: “Whether it's back pain from long hours at a desk, sore joints after exercise or everyday muscle stiffness, living with pain can affect everything from mobility and sleep to confidence and overall quality of life.

“While pain may become more common as we age, it doesn’t have to be something we simply put up with. And it certainly shouldn’t leave us feeling older than our years”

Common triggers and daily disruption across the UK

A new report just published: IS MUSCLE AND JOINT PAIN MAKING YOU FEEL OLDER? It reveals that pain is extremely common. In fact, 100% of people surveyed have experienced back, muscle or joint pain, with over a fifth (22%) saying they experienced it most of the time and 15% saying they experience it all the time. Of grave concern is that 20% of the people who said they are in pain all the time are, in fact, aged just 18 to 24 years old.

“As we use our muscles and joints for every single movement, pain inevitably can stop us from living life as normal. For 55% of Brits, the pain is in the lower back; however, our backs are involved in the majority of movement, so back pain makes life very difficult,” adds Noel Wicks.

As well as the back, Brits feel pain in a number of other areas: 39% experience pain in their knees, 29% feel it in their shoulders, 30% in their legs and 23% in their necks.

The causes of this pain vary; however, despite pain making people feel older, only 14% of people blame age for their pain. Arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the joints, affects 52% of people, while nearly a quarter (23%) of Brits blame their job for their pain. This can be due to poor posture at a desk, or even jobs with a high level of manual labour. A high 90% said that colder weather causes more aches and pains, while 35% of Brits say sports and exercise injuries are the leading causes of their back, muscle and joint pain.

“While we want to encourage people to exercise, doing it correctly and ensuring we stretch and cool down can help to avoid these exercise-related pains,” confirms Noel Wicks.

Dealing with pain helps to ensure life can carry on as normal. After all, back, muscle and joint pain have made getting out of bed a struggle for four in 10 Brits. Plus, 34% struggle with housework, 32% find it hard to go to work and 30% struggle to exercise, which can cause more issues, as movement can often help to loosen tight muscles and joints.

Clara Kervyn, a physiotherapist and musculoskeletal specialist, swears by Deep Relief, explaining that both the Deep Relief Duo Pain Relief Gel and Deep Relief Duo Joint Pain Gel contain two painkilling ingredients - Ibuprofen and Levomenthol with a triple action.

The Deep Relief Duo Pain Relief Gel and Deep Relief Duo Joint Pain Gel are the only anti-inflammatory gels in the UK which have the two pain-killing ingredients - Ibuprofen and Levomenthol - with this triple action formula.

“Ibuprofen is an effective, evidence-backed Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), which works on reducing pain and inflammation,” says Clara Kervyn.

“Meanwhile, Levomenthol works on the nerve endings in the skin, giving a soothing, cooling effect, while its counter-irritant activity stimulates the nerves that perceive cold and inhibits those that perceive pain. The two are combined in an aqueous gel, which adds to the soothing and cooling effect.”

1014 respondents, September 2026; Independent Research by Clariti.