Patients with tension-type headaches feel stigmatized.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache disorder.
• TTH imposes a significant societal burden, exceeding that of migraine in disability and absenteeism.
• Despite its prevalence, TTH patients exhibit reluctance to seek medical consultation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of social stigma associated with the term "tension" on TTH diagnosis.
• To explore patient perceptions and initial reactions to a TTH diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of initial patient responses to a TTH diagnosis.
• Survey of 50 consecutive TTH patients regarding their understanding of "tension" and stress.
• Comparison of TTH patient denial with denial patterns observed in depression.

Main Results:

• 64% of TTH patients denied experiencing "tension" or stress upon diagnosis.
• This denial mirrors the societal stigma associated with conditions perceived as personal weakness, such as depression.
• The findings suggest a significant barrier to TTH diagnosis and treatment seeking.

Conclusions:

• The term "tension" in tension-type headache contributes to social stigma.
• This stigma leads to patient denial, symptom concealment, and reluctance to seek professional help.
• Re-evaluating diagnostic terminology may improve TTH patient engagement with healthcare services.