Straight answers about headache.
Evidence-based guides on migraine and other headache disorders, for people in the UK, reviewed by headache clinicians. No scare stories, no recycled tips.
Curated by
Mark Braschinsky, MD, PhD
Neurologist and headache specialist, Tartu University Hospital
Mark founded the headache clinic at Tartu University Hospital in 2010 and was President of the Estonian Headache Society. He selects the topics on this page and checks every guide before it is published.
Where are you right now?
Is it migraine?
All guides →
Is it migraine? The signs GPs look for
Migraine is more than a bad headache. How GPs recognise it, what aura is, how it differs from tension-type headache, and why most people don't need a scan.
When a headache needs urgent care
Most headaches aren't dangerous, but a few signs mean you need help the same day. When to call 999, when to call NHS 111 and when a GP appointment is enough.
While you wait for a referral
All guides →
Getting a headache referral on the NHS: what to expect
How to ask your GP for a neurology referral, what the NICE pathway looks like, and what you can do while you wait.
What actually happens at a headache clinic
Who you'll see, what they'll ask, whether you'll be examined or scanned, and what usually happens after your first headache clinic appointment.
When treatment isn't working
All guides →
The headache that headache pills give you
It doesn't happen to people who are careless with medication. It happens to people trying to cope. How to spot it early, and what to do if you're already in the cycle.
Tried several preventives? What comes next on the NHS
Tried at least three migraine preventives without enough benefit? How anti-CGRP treatments work, who qualifies on the NHS and how the 12-week review decides whether you carry on.
Living with chronic migraine
All guides →
When episodic migraine becomes chronic, and what changes
Chronic migraine means headache on 15 or more days a month. What counts, why migraine becomes more frequent, and which NHS treatments open up once it's diagnosed.
Migraine at work: what your employer has to do
Migraine can count as a disability under the Equality Act. When it applies, which adjustments you can ask for, and how sick pay and fit notes work.
Questions people ask most
For: I think it might be migraine
What is the difference between migraine and a bad headache?
Migraine attacks usually last 4 to 72 hours, are often one-sided and throbbing, get worse with activity, and come with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound.
Source: ICHD-3, NHS
When does a headache need urgent care?
A sudden, severe "thunderclap" headache, a headache with fever and a stiff neck, or new weakness, confusion or loss of vision. Call 999 or go to A&E.
Source: NHS
Do I need a brain scan to diagnose migraine?
Usually not. Migraine is diagnosed from your history. Scans are for people with warning signs.
Source: NICE CG150
For: I'm waiting for a referral
How long is the wait for an NHS headache clinic?
It varies a lot by region and is often several months. The guide covers what your GP can start in the meantime.
Source: NHS trust websites
Can I refer myself to a headache clinic?
NHS clinics need a GP referral. Some independent clinics, such as the National Migraine Centre, accept self-referral.
Source: The Migraine Trust
What should I bring to my first appointment?
A headache diary covering at least the last 8 weeks, and a list of every medicine you have tried, with doses and how well it worked.
Source: BASH
For: my treatment isn't working
How often can I take painkillers before they make headaches worse?
Simple painkillers on 15 or more days a month, or triptans and combination painkillers on 10 or more days, for over three months can lead to medication overuse headache.
Source: ICHD-3, NICE CG150
Am I eligible for anti-CGRP treatment on the NHS?
Usually after at least three preventive treatments have not worked. The guide explains the NICE criteria in plain English.
Source: NICE
How long should I try a preventive before giving up?
Usually two to three months at an effective dose before judging whether it works.
Source: BASH
For: living with chronic migraine
What counts as chronic migraine?
Headache on 15 or more days a month for more than three months, with migraine features on at least 8 of those days.
Source: ICHD-3
Is migraine a disability at work?
It can be under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a substantial, long-term effect on daily life. Your employer then has to consider reasonable adjustments.
Source: Equality Act 2010, ACAS
Can Botox help chronic migraine?
NICE recommends it for chronic migraine after three preventive treatments have not worked and medication overuse has been addressed.
Source: NICE TA260
Myth or evidence?
What you read online, checked against the research.
Craving sweet food can be an early sign that an attack has already started.
Regular meals are some of the most consistent lifestyle advice.
True for some people. A diary is the only way to know if you're one of them.
Didn't find your question or topic?
Ask a question you'd like answered, or suggest a topic for a new article. We read every suggestion: common questions are added to this page, and the most requested topics become new guides.
Please don't include personal medical details. If you leave an email, we'll only use it to tell you when the guide is published.
Find a headache clinic near you
Enter a postcode to see specialist headache clinics by distance. NHS clinics need a GP referral unless stated otherwise.
See all clinics by region
London
- National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery — Headache & Facial Pain Group UCLH NHS FT · Complex/refractory cases; national referrals accepted
- Guy's & St Thomas' — Headache Service Guy's & St Thomas' NHS FT · Multiple clinic types including nurse-led
- King's College Hospital — Headache Clinic King's College Hospital NHS FT
- National Migraine Centre Independent charity · No GP referral needed; donation-based; remote consultations available
- Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, Charing Cross Hospital Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust · BASH founding clinic
- Great Ormond Street — Headache Clinic Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS FT · Children only
South East
- East Sussex Healthcare — Headache Service East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust · Eastbourne DGH
- Oxford Headache Centre Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT · John Radcliffe Hospital; also Bicester Community Hospital
South West
- Royal Devon & Exeter — Headache Service Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS FT
South
- University Hospitals Southampton — Neurology University Hospital Southampton NHS FT
Midlands
- University Hospitals Birmingham — Headache Service University Hospitals Birmingham NHS FT · Complex headache & IIH specialist centre
- University Hospitals North Midlands — Headache Clinic UHNM NHS Trust · Stoke-on-Trent
North West
- The Walton Centre — Headache Service The Walton Centre NHS FT · 4 headache consultants; regional hub for Cheshire & Merseyside
- Manchester University NHS FT — Headache Neurology Manchester University NHS FT · Salford Royal site
Yorkshire
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals — Headache Clinic Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals — Headache Clinic Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT · Contact: sth.headacheadvice@nhs.net
- Spire Hesslewood — Neurology Spire Healthcare (Private) · Self-referral; Hull
North East
- South Tyneside & Sunderland — Headache Service South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS FT · BASH Council representation
Scotland
- Aberdeen Royal Infirmary — Neurology NHS Grampian
- NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde — Neurology NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde · Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Data from The Migraine Trust and NHS trust websites, checked in 2026. Always confirm referral routes and opening hours with your GP or the clinic. Full UK clinic map from The Migraine Trust →
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