The following is a summary of “Internal stigmatization in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache,” published in the March 2024 issue of Neurology by Tokuç et al.

Migraines and other headaches can lead to negative self-beliefs that worsen a person’s well-being.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine how chronic migraine and medication overuse headache patients internalize stigma.

They conducted a study involving 57 patients (52 females, 5 males), with 26 suffering from chronic migraine and 31 experiencing medication overuse headaches along with chronic migraine. All patients were assessed using Ristsher’s stigmatization scale and the General Health Questionnaire.

The results indicated that internalized stigmatization was more prominent among patients with medication overuse headaches compared to those with chronic migraine in Ristsher’s stigmatization scale (P=0.05). When comparing groups, the subtitle of alienation showed statistical significance across all subscales, including alienation, confirmation of stereotypes, perceived discrimination, social withdrawal, and resistance to stigma (P=0.05).

Investigators concluded that internalized stigma may be a contributing factor in chronic migraine patients developing medication overuse of headaches.

Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03586-3