Why are women with fibromyalgia so stigmatized?

Abstract

Introduction: Many female pain sufferers with medically unexplained pain are at risk of being stigmatized in our Western society. Fibromyalgia is offered as the exemplar condition Aim: To understand why these women are being stigmatized. Methods: A review of the recent literature was conducted with a focus on the perceptions of women with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia who have been stigmatized. Results: Three intertwined themes emerged as contributing to their stigmatization: moralizing attitudes, disbelief as to the reality of pain, and pain's invisibility. Conclusion: Given how embedded the factors responsible for the stigmatization of women with fibromyalgia in Western society are, the realistic prospects for addressing this issue are poor.