Stigma attached to medication overuse headache from the healthcare professional perspective

At EAN 2022, Dr Henrik Schytz, discussed how there is not a lot of stigma attached to medication overuse headache (MOH) from the healthcare professional (HCP) perspective. MOH may be challenging for HCPs as ‘treatment’ involves stopping pain-relieving medication, which they may view as wrong. Patients with MOH need to be followed up as once the causative medication is stopped, they may return to it and new ways might be needed to help them. In some countries, preventative medication is indicated at the time of withdrawal of acute medication, which, Dr Schytz proposed, may relieve the HCP of feeling they are not treating their patient.