Condition5 min read
Migraine
A condition causing a severe, throbbing headache usually on one side, with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Some people have an aura beforehand. Attacks can be managed by avoiding triggers and with treatment.
An attack lasts from 4 hours to 3 days (according to the NHS) or 4–72 hours (WHO). An attack goes through phases: warning symptoms, aura, then the attack itself. Tracking triggers and regulating sleep and meals helps.
WHO classes migraine among the headache disorders with the greatest burden: 3.1 billion people have headache disorders in general (about 40% of the world's population in 2021), and migraine is the third leading cause of disability worldwide after stroke and neonatal encephalopathy. Treatment includes painkillers, anti-sickness medicines and migraine-specific medicines (triptans and gepants) and preventive medicines.
In one minute12
- What is it?
- A condition that causes severe throbbing headache with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Who is usually affected?
- More common in females; WHO ranks it as the third leading cause of disability worldwide.
- Acute or chronic?
- Recurrent attacks, often lifelong.
- Main symptoms
- One-sided throbbing headache, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, sometimes preceded by an aura.
- Red flags?
- Yes: a sudden severe headache, weakness on one side, or loss of vision.
- Preventable?
- Track triggers, sleep regularly, eat regular meals, cut down on caffeine and alcohol.
What is it?
A condition that causes severe headache, nausea and sensitivity to light. It involves recurrent attacks and is often lifelong according to WHO.
WHO estimates that 3.1 billion people (about 40% of the world's population in 2021) have headache disorders of all kinds, and that migraine is the third leading cause of disability worldwide after stroke and neonatal encephalopathy, and is more common in females.
Symptoms
Severe throbbing headache, often on one side or behind the eye, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, made worse by physical exertion.
Phases of an attack: warning symptoms hours to two days before (tiredness, yawning, food cravings, mood change, neck stiffness), aura lasting up to an hour (visual disturbance, numbness, dizziness, difficulty speaking), then the main attack from 4 hours to 3 days.
When do symptoms appear?
Triggers: the menstrual cycle, anxiety and depression, stress, tiredness, skipped meals, excess caffeine, and low physical activity. WHO mentions alcohol, sleep disturbance and certain foods.
How is it diagnosed?
The NHS does not detail how diagnosis is made, and recommends assessment by a doctor. (A second source is needed for the diagnostic criteria.)
Treatment
The treatment categories usually used are listed here; this is not a prescription. The doctor chooses the plan according to each person's condition; do not change any medicine or dose without a specialist.
For an attack: painkillers, triptans, gepants, and medicines to treat nausea. For prevention: beta blockers, antidepressants, epilepsy medicines, acupuncture, cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation training, vitamin B2. No doses are given.
WHO draws attention to medication-overuse headache, and to the benefit of limiting alcohol, regular sleep, exercise, diet, hydration and keeping a record of attacks.
Prevention
Sleeping in a dark room during an attack, avoiding triggers, drinking water, limiting caffeine and alcohol, a healthy weight, regular eating, exercise, enough sleep, and stress management.
When do you need urgent help?
Call emergency services now 998
- Sudden severe headache, or problems with speech or memory, or loss of vision, or severe drowsiness or confusion, or a seizure, or high fever with meningitis-like symptoms, or weakness on one side, or after a recent head injury.1
Get urgent care today
- An attack lasting more than 72 hours, or an aura lasting more than an hour, or migraine appearing during pregnancy or after childbirth.1
See your doctor within days
Educational content only — no diagnosis, and no substitute for a clinician.
Common questions
Questions for your doctor
- Is my headache really migraine or another type?
- What are my triggers and how do I track them?
- When do I need a preventive medicine?
- How many times a month is painkiller use considered excessive?
- Do I need neuroimaging?
References
- 1NHS. Migraine. www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/Health agencies & guidelines · Accessed 2026-10-05
- 2WHO. Headache disorders — Fact sheet. www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disordersHealth agencies & guidelines · Accessed 2026-10-04
Review status: Edited content · Last updated:
Change log
- — Page created.
Educational content only — no diagnosis, and no substitute for a clinician.