“It’s Just a Headache.”

Anyone With Migraine Knows It’s Not That Simple

Migraine is often described as a bad headache. But for someone living with migraine, the headache can be only one part of the experience.

The tiredness before it starts. The plans you cancel. The difficulty concentrating. The hours — sometimes days — it takes to feel like yourself again.

Migraine is a neurological condition, and an attack can involve symptoms before, during and after the headache itself.

So perhaps we need to stop asking:

“How bad is the headache?”

And start asking:

“How is migraine affecting your life?”

A migraine can start before your head hurts

One of the lesser-known things about migraine is that an attack may begin hours or even up to two days before the headache phase.

This early stage is known as the prodrome.

You might notice:

• unusual tiredness or repeated yawning
• changes in mood
• food cravings or increased thirst
• a stiff neck
• needing to urinate more frequently

It's easy to dismiss these things individually.

But if they repeatedly appear before your migraine, they may form part of your personal pattern.

Something worth knowing...

That chocolate you thought caused your migraine?

A sudden food craving can actually occur during the early stages of an attack.

This is one reason keeping track of the whole migraine episode, rather than simply what you ate immediately before the headache, can be useful.

Not everyone gets an aura

Flashing lights and zig-zag patterns have become strongly associated with migraine.

But you don't need to experience aura to have migraine.

The Migraine Trust notes that aura occurs in only around 30% of migraine cases.

When aura does occur, symptoms can include changes to vision, tingling or numbness, dizziness and difficulty speaking. NHS guidance says aura symptoms should not normally last longer than an hour.

This matters because migraine can look very different from one person to another.

When the headache stops, the migraine might not be over

Imagine waking after a migraine and thinking:

“The pain has gone... so why do I still feel awful?”

There can be another stage after the headache known as the postdrome.

People may experience tiredness, difficulty concentrating or a general feeling of being washed out.

The entire migraine attack can therefore be much longer than the period of head pain itself. NHS guidance says attacks commonly last between 4 hours and 3 days, with symptoms potentially beginning before and continuing after the headache.

That's important when we talk about the real impact of migraine.

Someone may no longer have a headache — but that doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to jump straight back into normal life.

The invisible part of migraine

Perhaps one of the hardest things about migraine is everything other people don't see.

You see someone back at work on Tuesday.

You don't see that they spent Monday in a dark room.

You see them attend the family event.

You don't see the plans they cancelled the week before.

You see someone who “looks fine”.

You don't see them wondering whether saying yes to something means risking having to cancel later.

This is particularly relevant during Migraine Awareness Week, 21–27 September 2026.

This year's Migraine Trust campaign focuses on believing people when they tell us how much migraine affects them. In its campaign research, 65% of people with migraine said they had felt that people didn't believe them.

That's a powerful reminder:

You cannot judge the impact of migraine by looking at someone.

Start looking for patterns, not perfection

If you experience recurring headaches or migraine, one practical thing you can do is keep a headache or migraine diary.

But don't record only:

“Headache today — 8/10.”

Try building a fuller picture.

Record things such as:

Before:
How did you feel beforehand? Any unusual tiredness, cravings, neck stiffness or mood changes?

During:
Where was the pain? What other symptoms occurred? What did you have to stop doing?

Timing:
When did symptoms begin? How long did they last?

After:
Did you immediately feel normal again, or were you tired, foggy or unable to concentrate?

Impact:
Did you miss work, exercise, family time or social plans?

Over time, this may help you and your healthcare professional see patterns that are difficult to spot when you're simply trying to remember your last few attacks.

The NHS also recommends a headache diary as a way of helping identify patterns and possible triggers.

When should you speak to your GP?

Recurring headaches shouldn't simply become something you learn to tolerate.

The NHS recommends speaking to your GP if migraine attacks are severe or getting worse, happen more than once a week, last longer than usual or are difficult to control.

And some headaches need urgent medical attention.

Call 999 for a headache that comes on suddenly and is extremely painful, or when a headache occurs alongside symptoms such as new weakness, problems speaking, loss of vision, confusion or a seizure. Other circumstances may require NHS 111 or urgent GP advice.

Don't assume a new or significantly different headache is “just your migraine”.

More than “just a headache”

The language we use matters.

Calling migraine “just a headache” doesn't simply misunderstand the condition.

It can minimise everything surrounding it.

The symptoms before.

The recovery afterwards.

The cancelled plans.

The lost time.

And the uncertainty of wondering when the next attack might arrive.

So if someone tells you they have migraine, you don't need to understand exactly how it feels.

Sometimes a much better response is simply:

“What do you need?”

Looking for more information?

At The Therapy Venue, we've created a growing library of free online health and wellbeing resources to help you understand your body, pain, recovery and common conditions.

You'll find practical information covering areas including chronic pain, stress management, back pain, injuries and rehabilitation, which can be useful alongside appropriate professional healthcare. The Therapy Venue also provides a range of physical and mental wellbeing services through independent practitioners.

Explore The Therapy Venue's free resources

Information in this article is for general education and is not intended to diagnose migraine or replace advice from your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.