Living with chronic migraine
Migraine can leave sufferers confined to the dark, and cut off from their everyday lives.1,2
With chronic migraine this can mean for more than 15 days a month you are unable to participate in the world around you.3
Described as headaches that are experienced for at least 15 days a month for more than three months, with at least 8 of those days being migraines, the impact can be debilitating.4
These migraines are estimated to impact around 1 million people in the UK and have symptoms ranging from frequent headache to increased sensitivity to light, sounds or smells, nausea and vomiting.4,5 Frequently chronic migraines develop gradually over time – with 2.5 out of 100 people with episodic migraine developing chronic migraine each year.4
Hear from Candice and Julie, two chronic migraine sufferers, about the impact it has had on their lives.
Candice
Migraines have been part of Candice’s life since the age of 12. The life-altering impact of enduring pain, isolation and confronting the stigma surrounding migraine has inspired her to share her story with others.
Watch Candice’s video to find out more about her life with chronic migraine and her desire to ensuring other sufferers don’t feel alone.
Julie
At 51, Julie’s life changed unexpectedly. With the onset of chronic migraine, her once active life was transformed. The emotional and physical toll migraine it has taken since then has forced Julie to navigate challenges she never anticipated.
Watch Julie’s video to hear more about her experiences and why she believes that no one suffering with chronic migraine should give up hope.
The stories shared above are personal accounts from individuals living with migraine. Participants received an honorarium for their contributions, and all necessary permissions have been obtained for the use of their stories.
References
- Martelletti P, et al. J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):115.
- The Work Foundation, Society’s Headache, 2018. Available at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/work-foundation/SocietysHeadacheTheSocioeconomicimpactofmigraine.pdf. [last accessed August 2025]
- Lipton RB, Silberstein SD. Headache. 2015; 55(Suppl 2):103–22; quiz 123–26.
- Migraine Misery. Available at: https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/research/article/2025/1/migraine-misery [last accessed August 2025]
- Chronic migraine. The Migraine Trust. Available at: https://migrainetrust.org/understand-migraine/types-of-migraine/chronic-migraine/ [last accessed August 2025]
