Migraine symptoms: what does a migraine feel like?

The main migraine symptoms are a moderate to severe, throbbing headache, often on one side of the head, together with nausea or vomiting and sensitivity to light, sound or smells. An attack usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours and often gets worse with physical activity. Around one in three people with migraine also have an aura before the headache starts.

Migraine is a common neurological condition: about 10 million people in the UK live with it. It is much more than a bad headache.

What are the main symptoms of migraine?

• Throbbing head pain: often on one side and frequently behind the eye, though it can affect both sides.
• Nausea: often with vomiting.
• Sensitivity to light and sound: sometimes also to smells, making normal daily activities hard.
• Pain that worsens with movement: climbing stairs or bending over can make it worse.
• Tiredness and poor concentration: during and after the attack.

What is a migraine aura?

About a third of people with migraine have aura symptoms before the headache begins. These are usually visual, such as flashing lights, zigzag lines, blind spots or temporary loss of part of your field of vision. Tingling, numbness or difficulty speaking can also occur. An aura develops gradually over several minutes and usually lasts between 5 and 60 minutes.

What are the phases of a migraine attack?

1. Warning phase (prodrome): early signs hours or even a day before, such as mood changes, yawning, food cravings or a stiff neck.
2. Aura phase: visual and other neurological disturbances, in about a third of people.
3. Headache phase: intense pain with the other symptoms of the attack.
4. Recovery phase (postdrome): feeling tired, drained or foggy after the attack.

Not everyone goes through every phase, and attacks can differ from one to the next.

Are migraines debilitating?

For many people, yes. Migraine is one of the most disabling conditions worldwide. During an attack many people cannot work, look after their family or take part in social life, and between attacks the worry about the next one can limit plans. People with chronic migraine have headache on 15 or more days a month. Migraine is not your fault, and you do not have to simply put up with it.

Which other headaches can be mistaken for migraine?

• Cluster headache: short, very intense attacks of pain around one eye, often with a red, watering eye and a blocked nose on the same side.
• Ocular migraine: visual disturbances, sometimes without any headache, which can come before a migraine attack.
• Tension-type headache: a constant, pressing pain on both sides of the head, usually milder than migraine and without nausea.

When to get urgent help

Most headaches are not dangerous, but some symptoms need urgent attention. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:

• a sudden, very severe headache that reaches its worst within seconds or minutes
• weakness or numbness on one side of the body or face
• slurred speech or difficulty understanding speech
• loss of vision that does not return
• a first ever aura after the age of 50
• a headache with a fever and a stiff neck

If you are worried but it does not feel like an emergency, call NHS 111.

What can you do about migraine symptoms?

Recognising your migraine symptoms early, such as the first signs of an aura or pain behind the eye, helps you act quickly and reduce the impact of an attack. If you have regular, severe headaches, a proper diagnosis is the first step towards the right treatment.

You can book a video consultation with one of our migraine specialists, without a GP referral. Not sure whether it is migraine? Take our migraine test, or read more about what migraine is and our treatment.