Stigma and Migraine
By: Brooklyn A. Bradley, BS; Medically edited by Dr. Deena Kuruvilla, MD
It is well-known that individuals living with migraine have a constellation of symptoms such as pain, nausea, fatigue, sensitivities to light, sound and smell, dizziness, memory changes and mood changes. What is less talked about is how they experience the stigma of having the disease. There are many reasons why migraine is stigmatized. In today’s blog post, we are going to uncover these reasons and discuss the importance of migraine education and awareness.
Headache disorders rank among the leading causes of disability worldwide [1]. People do not think of migraine as a significant disease; and this is illustrated as it gets minimized and ignored. In fact, only 5% of people with chronic migraine have received the proper diagnosis and preventive care plan [1]. Lack of awareness and misconceptions fuel the stigma. And what is stigma? Stigma is defined as a negative and often dismissive attitude experienced by people living with a certain medical condition or diagnosis [2]. For example, in a patient with migraine, they may face negative reactions when they are unable to meet certain social, educational, or professional expectations due to their symptoms [2]. Stigma can have a major negative impact on an individual, and it can make people with migraine feel invalidated or discouraged.
Migraine is stigmatized because it is an invisible disease [1]. Migraine isn’t the same as having a cast on your arm or an open wound; however, that doesn’t mean that migraine is less worthy of being acknowledged and treated. In addition, people may not understand the difference between migraine and other types of headaches. They may also assume that there is a quick fix for migraine, but it is important to know that migraine is more than “just a headache.” There are many layers to migraine, including duration, frequency, symptoms, and intensity of pain. The presentation of migraine differs for each patient, and may require different treatment approaches. Further, migraine is a chronic disease, and its attacks can be unpredictable. So it may appear that the person with migraine is functioning, but the next day they can be disabled by an attack. For those who don’t live with migraine, it may be difficult to understand the chronic and unpredictable nature of migraine.
How do we fight migraine stigma? It is a difficult question to answer, as undoing the link between migraine and stigma is not a linear process. Advocacy is one way to reverse stigma, as it can reshape the physician-patient relationship [3]. Advocacy can also direct more funding to migraine research [3]. Another way to fight stigma is simply talking more about migraine and the different phases a person experiences, separate from just the pain phase. There are many stereotypes surrounding migraine, and this can discourage people from sharing their experience. However, it is imperative to remember that migraine affects 1 billion people worldwide, so you are not alone! Being open about sharing your experiences can not only help you separate yourself from the stigma you are facing, but also help others to do the same. Educating ourselves and others about migraine will create a network of people who are familiar with migraine, and further, are able to support you in your migraine journey.
Let’s break the migraine stigma together!– Dr. K
References:
- The stigma of chronic migraine. In: WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/fight-stigma-migraine. Accessed 22 Sep 2023
- The Impact of Stigma on Migraine. In: American Migraine Foundation. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/the-impact-of-stigma-on-migraine/. Accessed 22 Sep 2023
- William B. Young The Stigma of Migraine. In: Practical Neurology. https://practicalneurology.com/articles/2018-feb/the-stigma-of-migraine. Accessed 22 Sep 2023