Yeah I think this is the biggest difference. Here in Sweden if I get a headache that's bad enough I'll just take a sick day and there's not really much social stigma about that kind of behaviour unless it becomes a pattern that you don't seek medical help for.

I work in an office, but Swedish law protects blue- and white-collared jobs the same in this regard.

FWIW I'm in the US and it's the same. If I have a headache I call in a sick day.

This is going to vary more between blue/white collar workers than same fields in different countries.