To explore the stigmatization of migraines and how it affects the burden on patients with migraines.

Migraine is an episodic, neurological disorder primarily manifesting as debilitating headaches with or without associated symptoms such as photophobia, phonophobia or both. A Roman physician, Gael, first described the disorder using the term hemicrania and later by a 16^th century Scottish poet, William Dunbar, as magryne, who further developed the disease criteria. Despite its historical origins, due to the lack of clinical evidence and its invisible nature, migraine has been largely discredited since the 18^th century.

A literature review conducted through various online databases using key phrases such as “stigma”, “migraines”, “headache”.

Compared to the patients with epilepsy, those with chronic migraines had higher amount of stigma and reduced ability to work based on the stigma scale for chronic illness questionnaire (SSCI). Patients suffer in their work and personal life. According to a 2016 survey, only 22% of the employers saw migraine to be a legitimate reason to be absent from work. In the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes study, around half the spouses avoided their partners with migraines. This extends towards healthcare as well with The Migraine Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Patterns (MKAPP) survey showing just 69% of the neurologist seeing migraine as an actual neurological disorder. Internalized stigma causes many patients to avoid medical care, damage relationships with their partners and negatively affect their self-perception.

Since the clinical symptoms are heavily relied on the subjective history, migraine has often been overlooked. Employers, physicians and even one’s own partner can diminish the harm a migraine can have on a person. Internalizing the stigma and devaluing their self-worth on top of carrying the burden of disease can lead to poor well-being in patients with migraines.