Migraine - NHS

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Symptoms of a migraine

A migraine tends to be a very bad headache with a throbbing pain on 1 side of the head.

You may get other symptoms just before a migraine, such as:

  • feeling very tired and yawning a lot
  • craving certain foods or feeling thirsty
  • changes in your mood
  • a stiff neck
  • peeing more

You may also get warning signs you're about to have a migraine (called an aura), such as:

  • problems with your sight, such as seeing zigzag lines or flashing lights
  • numbness or a tingling that feels like pins and needles
  • feeling dizzy
  • difficulty speaking

Aura symptoms should not last for longer than an hour.

There are different types of migraine with different symptoms.

Types of migraine
Symptoms Migraine type

No warning signs

Migraine without aura

Warning signs like seeing zigzag lines, numbness or tingling, feeling dizzy or difficulty speaking just before the migraine starts

Migraine with aura

Symptoms like flashing lights, but no headache

Migraine aura without headache (silent migraine)

Migraines usually last between 2 hours and 3 days, with some symptoms (such as feeling very tired) starting up to 2 days before the head pain starts and finishing after the headache stops.

Some people have migraines several times a week, while others do not have them very often.

It's common to have migraines before or during your period, called menstrual migraines.

Most people find their migraines slowly get better as they get older.

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