Migraine

Early warning signs happen up to 24 hours before migraine. You might notice changes to:

• your mood (e.g. you feel low or easily irritated)
• your digestion (e.g. you have food cravings, appetite changes, nausea, constipation, diarrhoea or need to wee more often)
• your brain and eyes (e.g. you feel drowsy, struggle to find words, dislike light and sound or find it hard to concentrate)
• your body (e.g. stiffness and aches in your neck and shoulders).

About one in 3 people experience migraine with aura. Most people with aura get:

• visual disturbances like bright zigzag lines
• flashing lights
• blind spots.

Other common aura symptoms include:

• numbness
• dizziness
• confusion
• difficulty speaking
• abdominal pain.

The aura can last for up to an hour.

Women are more likely than men to have migraine with aura.

Migraine headache usually lasts between 4 and 72 hours. It can include:

• a throbbing headache, often on one side, that feels worse when you move
• nausea
• vomiting
• neck pain
• sensitivity to light, sound and smell.

A migraine attack may end slowly or suddenly. After an attack, some people feel better, but others may still feel tired, sick or sensitive to light and sound.

A migraine hangover can happen after the attack has resolved. Symptoms may include:

• brain fog
• fatigue
• feeling dizzy
• feeling confused
• low mood
• headache.

This is the time between attacks where people don’t have symptoms. Your doctor may consider this phase as part of the diagnosis process.

Migraine without aura is common. You experience head pain but without symptoms, such as visual disturbances, beforehand.

Migraine with aura affects about one in 3 people who get migraine. Symptoms, such as visual disturbances, happen before the head pain.

Menstrual migraine is when you have migraine in at least 2 out of 3 menstrual cycles. If you get a migraine attack just before or during your periods, it may be due to a drop in oestrogen hormone levels.

Many women say these attacks are worse than other types of migraine attacks.

Chronic migraine is diagnosed when you have attacks on 15 or more days a month, with migraine symptoms on at least 8 of those days, over 3 or more months.

Symptoms can include head pain, aura, or both. Without proper treatment, it can have a big impact on your daily life.

Abdominal migraine is more common in children under 7 years. Symptoms include:

• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• lack of appetite.

About two thirds of people will also have head pain. Attacks can last from 2 to 72 hours.

About 5 in 100 people who have migraine get migraine without head pain.

About 1 in 100 people who have migraine have status migraine. With this type of migraine, head pain symptoms can last longer than 72 hours.

Medicine may not work as well, and you may get dehydrated due to nausea and vomiting.

See your doctor if your migraine lasts longer than 72 hours.

This is a rare kind of migraine that’s usually diagnosed in adolescent girls. The aura symptoms come from the base of the brain (the brainstem).

Symptoms can include:

• difficulty speaking
• dizziness
• vertigo
• ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• partial hearing loss
• double vision
• uncoordinated movements.

The buzzing headache is felt at the back of the head, at the base of the skull.

Some types of migraine have different aura symptoms.

Vestibular migraine

Vestibular migraine is more common in women than men. Aura symptoms may include:

• balance problems
• vertigo
• dizziness
• ringing in the ears.

The symptoms keep going after the head pain starts – although it’s common to not have head pain.

You’re more likely to have motion sickness or anxiety if you have this type of migraine. It’s important to get a diagnosis so you receive the right treatment.

Ocular or retinal migraine

Ocular or retinal migraine is when you have aura symptoms only in one eye. Before the head pain starts, you might notice:

• shimmering
• flickering
• blind spots or temporary loss of vision.

Hemiplegic migraine

This is a rare type of migraine that limits movement in half of your body. Symptoms start before the head pain and may include:

• muscle weakness with numbness and tingling
• temporary paralysis in one arm, leg or side of your body.

This type of migraine can last for days or longer. It can be mistaken for stroke. But in stroke, symptoms happen straight away, whereas in hemiplegic migraine, symptoms happen gradually.

Another rare type of hemiplegic migraine limits movement on both sides of your body. You may be so weak that you can’t stand. This is known as give-way weakness. Some people have a milder feeling of weakness and experience sensory changes between attacks.

When managing your triggers:

• focus on triggers you can control (e.g. your diet and environment)
• look after yourself with regular physical activity, stress management, good sleep and regular meals
• be aware of how changing hormones may impact you (e.g. before your periods)
• avoid a build-up of triggers (e.g. in the time before your periods)
• try to eat well, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep
• be kind to yourself if you have an attack or symptoms get worse.

If you have 3 or more migraine-affected days per month, or pain-relief medicines aren’t working, talk to your doctor.

They might recommend different preventative medicines. For example:

• beta blockers
• certain anti-depressants
• certain anti-epilepsy medicines.

If these don’t work, you could try the following medicines.

CRGP medicines for migraine prevention

This type of medicine can help prevent migraine attacks. A chemical called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CRGP) surges during a migraine attack. This medicine can reduce the effect of CRGP. Research suggests these medicines can reduce the number of attacks and how long they last.

Only certain brands of the medicine are available on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and you need to meet the criteria, so ask your doctor for more information.

Hormone medicines for migraine prevention

You can prevent menstrually-related migraine by using prescription medicines in the days just before and during your periods. For example, triptans or oestrogen medicine.

Hormone medicines, such as the Pill, can even out hormones that usually vary during your menstrual cycle. But if you have migraine with aura, the Pill is not recommended.

Learn more about migraine and hormone medicines.

Other migraine-prevention medicine

Injectable neurotoxins, for example, Botox, can reduce migraine attacks.

These are injected into your face and neck to block the action of brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that create migraine pain. Over time, they can make your brain less sensitive to migraine triggers.

Injectable neurotoxins are available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for this condition.

Ask your doctor about the benefits and risks of different medicines, and which ones are available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

It’s important to:

• follow your doctor’s instructions when taking medicine
• try different medicines to see which ones work well for you
• keep taking medicines that work, as benefits of preventative medicines build up over time.

Most people find it helpful to rest in a quiet, dark room when symptoms of migraine start. You can also try:

• using hot or cold packs on your head or neck
• drinking lots of water
• relaxation or mindfulness techniques, such as breathing
• drinking small amounts of caffeine in the early stages of migraine – as long as caffeine isn’t one of your triggers.

It’s important to be kind to yourself and ask others for support if you have an attack.

Ask your doctor about different pain-relief medicines. They will recommend the right medicine based on the type of migraine you get and your health history.

It’s important to avoid overusing headache medicine, as this can make your migraine worse over time.

Different types of pain-relief medicine for migraine

If you have nausea and find it hard to take or keep tablets down, you can try different options, such as:

• dissolvable wafers
• sprays
• suppositories
• injections.

Ibuprofen and aspirin are better than paracetamol at easing symptoms of migraine. Studies suggest aspirin significantly reduces pain within 2 hours if taken in a large dose at the start of an attack.

Your doctor can prescribe stronger pain-relief medicine if needed.

Australian medical guidelines do not recommend the use of opioids for pain relief.

Triptans for migraine pain

Your doctor can prescribe medicine called triptans that help ease moderate to severe migraine pain. This may help people who don’t get relief from basic painkillers.

You may need to try different types of triptan medicines before you find one that works for you.

Triptans can be combined with other pain-relief medicines to relieve symptoms.

Medicine for sleep and nausea

Your doctor can prescribe strong medicines to help with sleep and nausea.

Some nausea treatments are useful for people who can’t take triptans or other pain relief. They may also help with pain relief.

Many people use natural therapies to help manage symptoms of migraine.

While the use of some natural therapies is supported by scientific research, others need more research to prove their effectiveness.

Note that natural therapies should be prescribed by a health practitioner trained in their use. It’s important to tell your doctor if you use these, as some herbal remedies can affect other prescribed medicines.

Certain supplements may help ease symptoms of migraine, but more research is needed to better understand their effectiveness.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking the following supplements. Your doctor can also advise the right type and dose to use.

Magnesium for migraine

Magnesium may help prevent and treat migraine attacks, especially if you have migraine with aura or menstrual migraine.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) for migraine

Vitamin B2 may help prevent migraine attacks or reduce the severity of attacks. Ask your doctor if this vitamin might help and how much you can take each day.

Coenzyme Q10 for migraine

This supplement may help reduce the number and severity of migraine attacks some people have. But more research is needed to understand what dose works best.

Vitamins C and E (antioxidants) for migraine

One small study suggested that vitamin C and vitamin E could help reduce migraine severity.

Research suggests that acupuncture could be helpful when treating symptoms of migraine.

Acupuncture and medicine can be used together to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.

These devices work differently to medicines for prevention and pain relief.

They target the pain pathways that flare up during an attack by blocking the signal from nerves to the brain. You can retrain your brain by using the device regularly when you aren’t experiencing migraine attacks.

Note that medical devices aren’t usually listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Find more information about neuromodulation devices on the Migraine & Headache Australia website.

It can be a long and frustrating process to get a diagnosis of migraine.

While most women in Australia get a diagnosis within 2 years of experiencing migraine, it can take much longer. This may be due to different factors. For example:

• there isn’t a simple test, like a blood test, to diagnose migraine
• there are many types of headache and migraine, each with different symptoms
• symptoms of migraine can be associated with other conditions, which need to be ruled out
• some doctors and health professionals haven’t had in-depth training about migraine, so women may need to self-advocate to get the right diagnosis.

More women have migraine attacks than men. But women’s symptoms aren’t always investigated and may even be dismissed. This might be due to:

• the gender pain gap
• a ‘get on with it’ culture, where women put up with pain and don’t seek help, especially if they see other female family members with migraine do this.

According to a 2025 survey, women in Australia had different emotions about their migraine diagnosis journeys. Some women felt the process was frustrating, lengthy and confusing. Others felt it was supportive, quick and informative.

About two thirds of people with migraine in Australia don’t have an official diagnosis. But if you get the right diagnosis:

• you can get treatments for your specific type of migraine
• you can try migraine-specific medicines for pain, such as triptans, if over-the-counter pain medicines aren’t helping with migraine attacks
• you can try preventive medicines that may stop migraine attacks from happening in the first place
• you can use proven treatments to prevent and ease migraine, rather than putting up with the pain or following out-of-date advice.

There are many things you can do to get a diagnosis of migraine.

Be clear about why you are making an appointment.

When you book an appointment, explain that you want to talk about your headache symptoms and find out if you have migraine. You may need to book a longer appointment.

Be prepared for questions and an examination

At the appointment, your doctor may:

• ask questions about your medical history
• check your reflexes, sight and eye movements, hearing, smell, and your ability to move your head and neck
• do a physical examination to check your general level of health.

This information may be enough to help your doctor rule out other conditions and diagnose you with migraine. You won’t need a blood test or scan at this stage.

Share important information with your doctor

Share information about your medical history and lived experience with your doctor. This will help your doctor build a picture and make the right diagnosis.

Research suggests that certain factors are linked to migraine, for example:

• having a family member who has been diagnosed with migraine
• having depression, anxiety, sleep problems, epilepsy or hay fever
• having experience of emotional abuse as a child.

Symptom diary for migraine

You can keep a symptom diary for about 3 weeks. A symptom diary helps you keep track of your symptoms, how much they affect you and when they happened.

Talk to your doctor or neurologist about any patterns you’ve noticed. When you have a record of what happened, you’ll be less likely to downplay your symptoms at your appointment.

A simple diary

Get started with a simple green, orange and red traffic light system. You can use coloured pens or write the colour in your diary.

• Green means a day without any pain or other migraine symptoms, for example, light sensitivity.
• Orange means a day with some pain or other migraine symptoms, but where you can do most of your usual activities.
• Red means a day where pain or other migraine symptoms impact your usual activities, for example, you have to cancel plans.

You can also record:

• when you have your periods, to see if there’s a link between your periods and migraine attacks
• when you took pain-relief medicine.

An in-depth diary

Your doctor might ask you to record detailed information to help with the diagnosis, including:

• when you experience migraine attacks
• details about your symptoms, for example, nausea or runny nose
• what the pain feels like and where it is, for example, stabbing behind your eye, squeezing at your temples, tension at the base of your skull
• potential triggers
• any warning signs you notice
• how quickly the migraine comes on.

You can also record:

• how you feel after the pain has gone
• what helps you manage the symptoms, for example, pain-relief medicine, bed rest, cold or hot packs
• how often you cancel your usual activities, such as work or social events, because of migraine.

You’ll find helpful headache and migraine apps and diary templates on the Migraine & Headache Australia website.

If you haven’t been able to keep a symptom diary before your appointment, don’t put off seeking help. You can fill in this short migraine questionnaire (PDF 250KB) and discuss it with your doctor.

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a neurologist who specialises in headache and migraine.

It’s important to get a referral if treatments aren’t working and you still have migraine attacks that affect your daily life.

A neurologist can guide you through the diagnosis process and develop a treatment plan. It may take time to find and get an appointment with a neurologist.

If you have a referral, call the clinic before your appointment to ask about Medicare rebates, private health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.

You can find a list of neurologists that specialise in headache and migraine on the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society website.

It may be helpful to connect with people who are on the same diagnosis journey or have been through it. You can:

• join the private Facebook group run by Migraine & Headache Australia.
• find local and in-person meet-ups coordinated by Migraine Australia.

Migraine can have an impact on many aspects of your life. For example, your ability to:

• work
• study
• socialise
• do activities you enjoy.

It can also affect your relationships, confidence and self-esteem.

Good understanding and support can improve the quality of life for women with migraine.

It can be helpful to share your experience and ask others for support. When people know how migraine can impact your life, they are more likely to understand if you need to:

• change plans
• leave early
• go to medical appointments
• take time off work.

You might find it hard to explain migraine and how it affects you. It may be helpful to have a short explanation that you feel comfortable sharing with others. For example:

“I have migraine, which is a neurological condition. When I experience a migraine attack, I get symptoms like severe head pain and nausea. An attack can last for days. There are some things that can trigger attacks, like bright lights or stress. Sometimes they seem to come out of nowhere. When it happens, it stops me from doing my normal activities like work or hobbies. I need to rest, take medicine and be in a quiet and dark environment to help recover. Migraine has a big impact on my life, but it helps when people are understanding and supportive.”

Sometimes people offer advice about migraine without understanding that everyone has a different experience. It might help to steer the conversation away from triggers and treatments to supports that make a difference.

Read Kate’s story about living with chronic migraine.

If you have migraine and it affects your work, you may find the following tips helpful.

Talk to your manager about migraine

If you feel comfortable, you can choose to talk to your manager about your experience of migraine.

You can ask for support and workplace adjustments, including:

• flexible working arrangements (e.g. short breaks rather than a long lunch break, flexibility to go to medical appointments, working from home if needed)
• workplace adjustments (e.g. working in a quiet area with dim lighting, or wearing headphones or sunglasses).

It’s a good idea to:

• understand your employer’s policies on health, flexible working and workplace assessments before your meeting
• ask your doctor for a letter explaining your diagnosis and share it with your manager in the meeting
• talk to a union rep (if you are in a union) if you need support.

Practical ways to manage migraine triggers at work

There are many practical ways to manage migraine triggers at work. For example:

• use an anti-glare cover on your computer screen, or blue-light glasses
• ask for a health and safety assessment of your workspace to protect yourself from neck and shoulder pain
• drink plenty of water throughout the day
• take all your breaks and go for a walk outside to ease stress, physical tension and eye strain
• use quiet spaces if you are worried about triggers and a potential migraine attack.

You can also:

• use muscle-relaxing heat patches or gel on your neck and shoulders
• look after yourself outside of work, including eating regular meals and prioritising sleep
• keep your medicines with you in case you feel an attack coming on
• bring a neuromodulation device to work and use it if needed.

Talk to your work colleagues about migraine

You might find it helpful to talk to trusted work colleagues about migraine.

When someone you trust understands your experience, they’re more likely to support you if you need to leave early, take time off or organise workplace adjustments. They may also offer to help on days when you don’t feel great or you return to work after a migraine attack.

It’s also helpful to have a trusted person who can help you if an attack comes on at work. A migraine buddy can support you to get your medicine, organise for you to get home safely and let your team know what’s happened.

When your family and friends understand your experience of migraine, they’re more likely to offer support.

It might help to explain your triggers, how migraine affects you and what you need to do to feel better.

Let them know how they can help. For example:

• by leaving you to rest if you have a migraine attack
• by helping you to follow your treatment plan, like taking medicine and using hot or cold packs
• by understanding that plans may need to change unexpectedly
• by helping with meals, chores or other activities
• by reducing triggers (e.g. dim the lights).

It’s important to look after yourself when you have migraine, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. And accept help when it’s offered.

Migraine can affect your relationships. If you have a partner, it may help to explain what migraine feels like and what they can do to support you.

If your partner is aware of your experience, they’re more likely to respond with care and support when you have migraine and plans need to change.

Tips to help your partner understand migraine

You can ask your partner to:

• read information about migraine, including stories from others who have experienced migraine
• come to a doctor’s appointment to better understand your experience and treatment plan
• be patient if you have a migraine attack and don’t want to do things you normally do, including having sex
• take on more housework and mental load
• reduce triggers (e.g. avoid wearing strong perfume or aftershave)
• ask any questions they might have for you.

If you need mental health support, you can ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist.

It can be helpful to connect with other people who have migraine. You can join a support group to share experiences and tips, develop friendships and celebrate successes.

You can:

• join the private Facebook group run by Migraine & Headache Australia.
• find local and in-person meet-ups coordinated by Migraine Australia.