Stigma attached to medication overuse headache from the patient perspective

At EAN 2022, Henrik Schytz, Associate Professor of Neurology, Denmark Headache Center, Denmark, discussed stigma attached to medication overuse headache as friends and family of people experiencing it may query if it is drug abuse, which it is not. A person with medication overuse headache might be afraid to report it unless prompted by a healthcare professional and may underreport both the headache and the amount of pain relief they are taking. In a project that Dr Schytz was involved in, it was ascertained that patients may feel guilty that they’ve taken more pain relief medication than indicated. HCPs need to plan with the patient how to avoid medication overuse headache.