What you need to know

Being a migraine sufferer can be a lonely experience. It’s a pain that many people find hard to understand. But did you know there are almost 8 million people in the UK that suffer from migraine? Here’s some advice on migraines and how to handle them.

What is a migraine?

A migraine is the result of blood vessels in the brain and in the back of the head and neck constricting. You’ll know if you’ve got a migraine because as well as a sharp stabbing pain in the side of the head, you might also get visual disturbance (known as an ‘aura’) and sickness. What triggers them?

No one knows exactly what causes migraines. Some people get them when they’re stressed. Others get them as an allergic reaction to different types of food.

If you suspect that diet may be triggering your migraine attacks, you could follow an elimination diet. If you do this and you don’t have an attack for a while, then it’s possible a food allergy may be responsible for your migraines.

So that you know for sure, re-introduce each one of the suspect foods into your diet every two days. If you get a migraine following eating a certain food, you may have found the culprit!

See your doctor for migraine to get an accurate diagnosis.

How can you help prevent migraine attacks?

There are a number of things you can do at home and at work to help prevent migraines. See our Migraine Survival Plan.

For more information, please contact: The Migraine Trust or the Migraine Action Association.

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