Guidance
2 Indications and current treatments
2 Indications and current treatments
2.1 Migraine is a common condition characterised by recurrent, pulsatile, unilateral or bilateral headaches that may last from hours to days and are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine headache may be preceded by an aura, which can include visual or olfactory disturbances, or difficulties with speech (dysphasia). The second edition of International Classification of Headache Disorders (International Headache Society 2004) provides a classification of migraine types.
2.2 Current treatment for migraine aims to prevent or stop episodes and manage symptoms with drugs such as triptans, analgesics and anti-emetics (as recommended in Headaches: diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults [NICE clinical guideline 150]). Other treatments include nerve blocks, botulinum toxin type A injections (as recommended in Botulinum toxin type A for the prevention of headaches in adults with chronic migraine [NICE technology appraisal guidance 260]) or acupuncture.