For Headache Sufferers

Find my headache

We assume a doctor has first diagnosed your headache type.

Click on the type of headache to find out more about symptoms and the approach to treatment (video or information sheet formats).

Look at the Treatment Tables for your particular headache- these are taken from the British Association for the Study of Headache guidelines and will help you better understand the options available.

A shortcut to all information sheets is in the tabs below. Click and scroll down for downloadable Headache Diaries

You can find out about upcoming Patient Events by clicking here

You may wish to print the treatment table/information sheets to bring to a consultation.

  • Migraine
  • Tension Type
  • Medication Overuse Headache
  • Cluster
  • Paroxysmal Hemicrania
  • Hemicrania Continua
  • SUNCT or SUNA
Migraine
  • Information Sheets
  • Treatment Tables
Information Sheets
  • Overview
  • Symptoms
  • Acute Treatment
  • Preventative Treatment
  • Menstrual Migraine
  • Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
  • Migraine & Stroke
Overview

Download Migraine overview information sheet.

Symptoms

Download Migraine symptoms sheet.

Acute Treatment

Download Acute Treatments sheet.

Preventative Treatment

Download Preventative Treatments sheet.

Menstrual Migraine

Download Menstrual Migraine sheet.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Download Pregnancy & Breastfeeding sheet.

Migraine & Stroke

Download Migraine & Stroke sheet.

Treatment Tables
  • Acute Migraine
  • Migraine Preventive
  • Menstrual Migraine
Acute Migraine

Recommended acute treatments – simple analgesics and antiemetics

DRUG
DOSE
MAXIUMUM DOSE
INFORMATION
Simple Analgesics
ASPIRIN 144-148

600-1000 mg

(UK doses are 300-900 mg)

4000 mg (for oral dosing)

DICLOFENAC 149-152

25mg

150mg

IBUPROFEN 153-155

400-600mg

2400mg

KETOPROFEN 156,157

75-150mg

150mg

NAPROXEN 158-160

250mg

1000mg

PARACETAMOL 133,161

1000mg

4000mg

TOLFENAMIC ACID 162

200mg

400mg

Antiemetics
DOMPERIDONE 133

10mg

30mg

Safety alert: MHRA-Domperidone

PROCHLORPERAZINE 163-165

10mg

0mg

METOCLOPRAMIDE 132,166,167

10mg

30mg

Safety alert: MHRA-Metoclopramide

Recommended acute treatments – triptans

DRUG
FORMULATION
STRENGTH
SINGLE DOSE
MAX/24 HOURS
ALMOTRIPTAN 168,169

TABLET

12.5mg

12.5mg

25mg

ELETRIPTAN 170

TABLET

40mg

40mg

80mg

FROVATRIPTAN 171

TABLET

2.5mg

2.5mg

5mg

NARATRIPTAN 172

TABLET

2.5mg

2.5mg

5mg

RIZATRIPTAN 173

TABLET

ORODISPERS

LYPOPHILLISATE

5 mg/10 mg

10 mg

10 mg

10 mg

10 mg

10 mg

20 mg

20 mg

20 mg

SUMATRIPTAN 137,174

TABLET

SPRAY

SUBCUT INJ

50 mg/100 mg

100 mg/ml or

200 mg/ml

6 mg

50-100 mg

10 - 20 mg

6 mg

300 mg

12 mg

ZOLMITRIPTAN 175-177

TABLET

ORODISPERS

SPRAY

2.5 mg/5 mg

2.5 mg/ 5 mg

50 mg/ml

5 mg

5 mg

5 mg

10 mg

10 mg

10 mg

Migraine Preventive
DRUG
START DOSE
TITRATION
TRIAL STUDIED DAILY DOSES
Amitriptyline 187-191

10-25 mg OD

10 -25 mg

 25-150 mg

Candesartan 192,193

2 mg OD

2mg

 8-16 mg total/day

Propranolol 187,194,195

10 mg BD

10-20 mg BD

120-240 mg total/day

Topiramate 196-205

25 mg daily

25 mg od

25-200 mg total/day

CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies
Erenumab 206-209

70-140 mg monthly

Max dose as per licensed indication

Fremanezumab 210

225 mg monthly

675 mg three-monthly

Max dose as per licensed indication

Galcanezumab 211-213

120-240 mg monthly

Max dose as per licensed indication

Onabotulinumtoxin  A214-218

155-195 IU intramuscularly, as per PREEMPT protocol

Every 12 weeks

Menstrual Migraine
DRUG
FORMULATION
STRENGTH
FROVATRIPTAN 255,256

TABLET

2.5 mg twice daily on the days migraine is expected (generally from two days before until three days after bleeding starts).

ZOLMITRIPTAN257

TABLET

2.5 mg twice or three times a day on the days migraine is expected (generally from two days before until three days after bleeding starts).

Tension Type
  • Information Sheets
  • Treatment Tables
Information Sheets

Download Tension Type Information sheet.

Treatment Tables

Recommended acute treatments in tension-type headache

ANALGESIC
SINGLE DOSE
MAXIMUM DAILY DOSE
Paracetamol 321-323

1000mg

4000mg

Aspirin 324,325

500-1000mg (UK doses are 300-900mg)

4000mg (for oral dosing)

Recommended preventive treatment in tension-type headache 

DRUG
STARTING DOSE
TITRATION
MAXIMUM DOSE
Amitriptyline 326-330

10mg

10-25mg

150mg

Medication Overuse Headache
  • Information Sheet
Information Sheet

Download Medication Overuse Headache information.

Cluster
  • Information Sheet
  • Treatment Tables
Information Sheet
  • Overview
  • Symptoms
  • Acute Treatment
  • Preventative Treatment
Overview

Download Cluster Overview information.

Symptoms

Download Cluster Symptoms information.

Acute Treatment

Download Cluster Acute Treatment information.

Preventative Treatment

Download Cluster Preventative Treatment information.

Treatment Tables

Recommended Acute Cluster attack treatments

Treatment
Formulation
Strength
Maximum Daily Dose
Oxygen 373,374

Inhalation through non-rebreathable mask

7-15 L/min

No limit

Sumatriptan 368

Subcutaneous injection

6mg

12mg

Sumatriptan 375

Nasal spray

20mg

40mg

Zolmitriptan 376-378

Nasal spray

5mg

15mg

Non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation 379

Transcutaneous

As per specialist recommendation

Recommended preventive treatments for cluster headaches

Name
Start Dose
Titration
Maximum Daily Dose
Comments
Greater occipital nerve block 388,389

Depot steroid + local anaesthetic

Not applicable

Not applicable

Different formulations of steroid & anaesthetic used*

Verapamil 384

80 mg TDS

increase 80 mg every 2 weeks

960 mg

ECG monitoring recommended

* *There does not seem to be a difference between different local anaesthetics
Paroxysmal Hemicrania
  • Information Sheet
Information Sheet

Download Paroxysmal Hemicrania information sheet.

Hemicrania Continua
  • Information Sheet
Information Sheet

Download Hemicrania Continua information sheet.

SUNCT or SUNA
  • Information Sheet
Information Sheet

Download SUNCT or SUNA information sheet.

  • Just show me Information Sheets
  • Find out about Research
Just show me Information Sheets
  • General Headache Information
  • Migraine Information
  • Cluster Headache Information
  • Other Headache Types Information
  • Medication Information
General Headache Information
  • Headache Self Help
  • Headache Diary
  • Brain Scans
  • Incidental Findings
Headache Self Help

What you can do to help yourself and help your doctor.

Headache Diary

Headache sufferers can use this diary to keep a track of how often they have headaches and how severe they are.

Brain Scans

When are brain scans needed for a headache?

Incidental Findings

This is a guide to the phenomenon of 'incidental findings' - discoveries on scans that the doctors were not looking for.

Migraine Information
  • Overview
  • Symptoms
  • Migraine Attack Treatments
  • Preventative Treatments
  • Menstrual Migraine
  • Migraine in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
  • Migraine and Stroke Risk
Overview

What is migraine and how common is it?

Symptoms

Guide to common symptoms of migraine.

Migraine Attack Treatments

How to treat migraine attacks when they happen.

Preventative Treatments

Treatments that can prevent migraine attacks starting.

Menstrual Migraine

Menstrual migraine treatment options.

Migraine in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Migraine treatment options during and after pregnancy.

Migraine and Stroke Risk

Information about how migraine affects the chances of having a stroke.

Cluster Headache Information
  • Overview
  • Symptoms
  • Cluster Headache Attack Treatment
  • Cluster Headache Preventative Treatment
Overview

What is cluster headache and how common is it?

Symptoms

Guide to common symptoms of cluster headache.

Cluster Headache Attack Treatment

How to treat cluster headache attacks when they happen.

Cluster Headache Preventative Treatment

Treatments that can prevent cluster headache attacks starting.

Other Headache Types Information
  • Tension Headache
  • Medication Overuse Headache
  • Paroxysmal Hemicrania
  • Hemicrania Continua
  • SUNCT / SUNA
Tension Headache

A guide to tension type headache.

Medication Overuse Headache

A guide to medication overuse headache.

Paroxysmal Hemicrania

A guide to paroxysmal hemicrania.

Hemicrania Continua

A guide to hemicrania continua.

SUNCT / SUNA

A guide to SUNCT and SUNA.

Medication Information
  • Amitriptyline
  • Candersartan
  • Propranolol
  • Topiramate
  • Triptans
  • Verapamil
  • Greater Occipital Nerve Block
  • 'Botox' (botulinum toxin) injections
Amitriptyline

A guide to amitriptyline use for migraine.

Candersartan

A guide to candersartan use for migraine.

Propranolol

A guide to propranolol use for migraine.

Topiramate

A guide to topiramate use for migraine.

Triptans

A guide to using triptans for migraine.

Verapamil

A guide to verapamil use for cluster headache.

Greater Occipital Nerve Block

A guide to GON block for headache.

'Botox' (botulinum toxin) injections

A guide to botox injections for chronic migraine.

Find out about Research
  • Research
Research

Download our research information.