Migraine-Related Stigma Common, Impacts Disability, Interictal Burden, and QoL

Summary: Have you ever had a terrible migraine and felt like people thought you were just faking it? You are not alone. A huge study of nearly 60,000 Americans found that almost one-third of people with migraines face "migraine stigma" often. This means others either downplay their pain or think they are using it as an excuse to get out of responsibilities.

The study showed that this judgment actually makes things much worse. People who face more stigma report higher disability, more stress even between their headaches, and a much lower quality of life. The worse the migraines get—like having 15 or more headache days a month—the worse the stigma becomes. Researchers hope that by understanding this unfair judgment, we can find ways to help migraine sufferers live better, healthier lives.

Source: Neurology Advisor URL: neurologyadvisor.com/topics/migraine-and-headache/migraine-related-stigma-disability-interictal-burden-qol/ (opens in new tab)