Migraines: Symptoms and causes as trust calls for NHS to take them more seriously

The time people are waiting to be treated for migraines has almost doubled in England, according to a new report, with a charity calling for the “debilitating and stigmatised” condition to be taken seriously by clinicians.

The Migraine Trust said there should be greater awareness of the pathways that exist for managing migraines, which can cause severe pain as well as nausea, confusion and blurred vision.

It also said it should be taken seriously and not misunderstood as “just a headache”.

One in seven adults – or 10 million people – in the UK are thought to be affected by migraines. More than one million have chronic migraine, which means they experience headaches for at least 15 days of the month.

Data obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request by the Migraine Trust revealed waiting times for patients requiring specialist care for migraines in England have increased from 15 weeks in 2021 to an average of 29 weeks in 2023.

It also claims access to new drugs is being “hindered” by wait times, along with a lack of specialist doctors and nurses.

The Migraine Trust report said there are fewer than 80 GPs specialising in migraine and headaches in the UK.

Robert Music, chief executive of the Migraine Trust, said: “Not only are patients struggling, but poor management of migraine is putting unnecessary additional strain on an already struggling NHS.

“We are seeing rising A&E admissions for migraine across the UK. There is a shortage of GPs, consultants and nurses specialising in headache to meet the need that we know exists, and a broad lack of understanding of the condition, meaning patients are not being treated in the right place or at the right time, if at all.”

According to the Migraine Trust, there were 78,080 visits to 42 A&E departments in England in 2021/22, an increase of 32 per cent on the previous year.

Hospital admissions during the period also rose by 21 per cent to 33,562.

An inquest last week heard how Sheffield mum Natasha Hewitt went to a walk-in centre, called 111 and her GP with what was thought by medical professionals to be a migraine.

In reality, the 35-year-old had multiple blood clots on her brain, and died days later.

Dr Brendan Davies, chairman of the British Association for the Study of Headache and a consultant neurologist at Royal Stoke University Hospital, said: “Migraine is the most common of all the neurological disorders yet is vastly under recognised.

“The time has come for a nationally-agreed educational framework and quality standard for primary care, as we have with other important long-term conditions.

“Health professionals in primary and secondary care must be empowered to effectively recognise and manage migraine, and implement the breakthroughs therapies we now have. This will help reduce the massive impact migraine has on the UK population, in addition to benefiting medical professionals and the economy.”

Levelling up minister Dehenna Davison resigned from the role earlier this month due to her ongoing battle with chronic migraine.

The Conservative MP said: “Migraine affects so many people in the UK and yet awareness of what it really is remains painfully limited.

“No, it is not just a headache – it is a complex condition that can greatly impact individuals and their families every single day. We need to improve awareness about the symptoms and challenges of migraine to help improve access to quality treatments and improve the workplace experience.”

Publication of the charity’s report comes days after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommended rimegepant as a treatment for acute migraine.

The soluble wafer dissolves under the tongue and works by stopping the release of a protein around the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide. The latest guidance on rimegepant is expected to benefit about 13,000 people, Nice said, by relieving the symptoms of migraine.