10 Minute Migraine Relief Guide — References

This page lists the academic and web-based sources that informed the 10 Minute Migraine Relief Guide. It is provided for those who wish to review the references used within the guide.

World Health Organization: Headache Disorders — Explains that migraine is a common, long-term primary headache disorder and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Describes typical migraine attacks, including head pain lasting 4–72 hours, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound, helping reinforce that migraine is a genuine neurological condition rather than "just a headache". Useful for introducing the condition and reinforcing its impact on daily life.
International Headache Society: ICHD-3: Migraine without aura — Defines the recognised diagnostic features of migraine, including pulsating pain, moderate to severe intensity, worsening with routine activity, nausea, vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia. Useful for grounding the symptom language in recognised classification criteria.
WHO / Lancet Neurology news release: Neurological conditions now leading cause of illness and disability worldwide — Places migraine within the wider global burden of neurological conditions and gives credible context for why migraine should be taken seriously.
NICE: Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management — Covers diagnosis and management of migraine in adults and young people aged 12 and over, and anchors the guide’s wider clinical framing around migraine recognition and management.
NHS Inform: Migraine — Explains the common symptoms of migraine, including nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, dizziness, poor concentration and the need to rest in a quiet, dark environment. It also highlights how symptoms vary between individuals, making it a useful patient-friendly reference for recognising early symptoms, understanding sensory sensitivity and selecting appropriate relief strategies.
CMAJ / PMC: Diagnosis and acute management of migraine — Reviews migraine diagnosis and acute management from clinical guidelines and research, including the role of acute treatment and non-drug approaches. Useful as a clinician-facing background reference.
American Migraine Foundation: Migraine Prodrome: Symptoms and Prevention — Explains how the prodrome phase can signal the start of a migraine attack and highlights the importance of recognising early warning signs. Shows how responding during this early stage may support earlier symptom management and provides a practical basis for developing a personalised migraine relief plan.
The Migraine Trust: Stages of a Migraine Attack — Explains the different phases of a migraine attack, including the prodrome, headache and postdrome stages. Describes common early warning signs such as fatigue, mood changes, difficulty concentrating and sensory sensitivity, and outlines the recovery phase, where people may feel drained or "hungover" after the headache has resolved. Useful for understanding that migraine involves more than head pain and for supporting early recognition, symptom management and recovery planning.
Migraine Disorders: Phases of a Migraine Attack — Outlines prodrome, aura, acute, resolution and postdrome phases, noting that phases can vary between people and between attacks. Useful for explaining why migraine does not always follow a fixed pattern.
NHS: Migraine — Provides practical self-care advice for managing migraine attacks, including resting in a dark, quiet room, staying hydrated, eating regular meals, maintaining healthy sleep habits, managing stress, and limiting caffeine and alcohol where appropriate. It also outlines when self-care may be sufficient and when it is important to seek medical advice, making it a useful reference for both immediate symptom management and longer-term migraine care.
Mayo Clinic: Migraines: Simple Steps to Head Off the Pain — Reviews practical self-care measures that may help during a migraine attack, including moving to a calm, low-stimulation environment, reducing light and noise exposure, using temperature therapy, getting adequate rest, and using caffeine cautiously where appropriate. Useful for guiding the 10-minute relief routine and matching relief techniques to individual symptoms.
American Migraine Foundation: Relaxation and Paced Breathing Exercises for Migraine — Explains paced breathing and relaxation exercises for migraine, showing how short breathing sessions can help during an attack and how the techniques can be used in a variety of settings, including at work, at home, or while travelling. Useful for the breathing components of the 10-minute routine and real-world symptom management.
Sprouse-Blum et al.: Targeted Neck Cooling in the Treatment of the Migraine Patient — A small randomised crossover study looking at neck cooling during migraine. Useful for cold application, with the caveat that cold should be presented as a comfort strategy rather than a guaranteed treatment.
The Migraine Trust: Coping with a Migraine Attack — Reviews practical self-care strategies that can be used during a migraine attack, including rest, hydration and reducing sensory stimulation. Discusses how caffeine may help some people while acting as a trigger for others, highlighting the importance of recognising individual responses. The guidance also applies to managing migraines in different settings, such as at home, work or while travelling.
NICE CKS: Migraine: Scenario: Adults — States that acute medication should be taken early while pain is mild, and includes guidance around acute treatment pathways. Useful for the “follow your medication plan” section without turning the guide into prescribing advice.
AAFP: Acute Migraine Headache: Treatment Strategies — Reviews acute treatment options including NSAIDs, triptans and antiemetics. Useful as a background clinical reference for why prescribed acute treatment plans matter.
American Migraine Foundation: NSAIDs for Migraine — Explains where NSAIDs and triptans may sit in acute migraine care. Useful for broad context around medication discussions while keeping the guide non-prescriptive.
NICE CKS: Headache assessment: diagnosis — Lists concerning features such as fever, impaired consciousness, seizure, neck pain or stiffness, and photophobia as possible signs of central nervous system infection. Useful for the urgent-care warning section.
Cleveland Clinic: Thunderclap Headache — Explains that a thunderclap headache is sudden, severe and needs immediate medical attention. Useful for “worst headache” and sudden-onset warnings.
American Migraine Foundation: Migraine in the Emergency Department — Covers when migraine symptoms may need emergency care and helps frame urgent care as separate from ordinary migraine self-management.
The Migraine Trust: Keeping a Migraine Diary — Explains how a migraine diary can help recognise triggers, warning signs, symptom patterns and responses to medication or relief strategies. Useful for the episode tracker and for turning repeated entries into a more practical personal relief plan.
American Migraine Foundation: Headache Journals: Tracking Your Migraine — Explains how tracking migraine symptoms, frequency, severity, timing and response to different strategies can help identify patterns over time. Shows how keeping a headache journal, whether on paper or digitally, can support a more personalised approach to migraine management rather than relying on memory alone.
Migraine Canada: How to Use a Migraine Diary — Gives practical diary guidance around tracking attack frequency, symptoms, medication use and lifestyle habits. Useful for the “simple log” and monthly review idea.
National Headache Foundation: Tracking Diaries — Describes diary use for identifying triggers and treatments, and notes when diaries are useful before appointments or when symptoms change. Good fit for “what to look for after a few entries”.