Migraine awareness

The majority of us likely experience occasional headaches after a long day or week of work. But while occasional headaches are normal, migraines are more severe and can be difficult to manage. Migraines are common, and affect around 10 million people aged 15-69 in the UK.

The NHS spends an estimated £150 million per year on treating migraines and £250 million on care for headache sufferers. There’s also around three million migraine-related sick days each year, costing the economy around £4.4 billion.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can vary from person to person, but they can include throbbing pains on one side of the head, sensitivity to light and sound, vision changes, dizziness, extreme fatigue, aura (seeing flashing lights, zigzag lines, or stars) nausea and sickness. Some people also experience nausea or vomiting. This can impact your ability to carry out day-to-day activities, like working, parenting or taking care of yourself.

The NHS website recommends seeing a GP if:

Your migraines are getting worse or are lasting longer than usual.
You have migraines more than once a week.
You’re finding it difficult to control your migraines.

Find further guidelines, including when to contact NHS 111 or the emergency services on the NHS website.

What different types of migraine exist?

There are several types of migraine, including:

Migraine with aura – where there are specific warning signs just before the migraine begins, such as seeing flashing lights.
Migraine without aura – the most common type, where the migraine occurs without the specific warning signs.
Migraine aura without headache (also known as silent migraine) – where an aura or other migraine symptoms are experienced, but a headache doesn’t develop.

Aura, or warning signs, can sometimes be experienced by those who suffer from migraines. These can come in the form of:

Visual problems such as flashing lights or blind spots.
Numbness or tingling that starts in one hand and progressively moves up the arm, eventually affecting the face, lips and tongue.
Feeling dizzy or light headed.
Difficulty speaking.
In some extreme cases people can experience loss of consciousness.

What are the causes?

Migraines don’t have any identifiable cause, however, many possible triggers have been suggested which include hormonal, physical, emotional, dietary, environmental and medicinal. If you suffer from migraines then keeping a diary can be useful to help identify what triggers your migraines. This diary should contain:

The date and time you experienced the migraine.
Any warning signs you experienced.
Your symptoms (including the presence or absence of aura).
What medication you took.
When the migraine ended.

What can I do to help manage symptoms?

If you have a migraine, it may help to rest in a dark and quiet room. Taking steps to avoid known triggers can also help i.e. if stress is a trigger, stress management and relaxation techniques could be adopted to help manage the onset of migraines. Make an appointment with your GP if you’re interested in finding out what possible medication and supplements are available to help.