Most people have suffered from headaches and one in twenty people suffer from chronic severe headaches, yet few receive a correct diagnosis and even fewer receive appropriate therapies to treat their headache. Migraine is the commonest cause of severe headaches and treatment may require a combination of lifestyle changes, acute medications and preventative measures.

Only a minority of migraine patients take appropriate medicines. Other causes of headache or facial pain include cluster headaches, tension-type headaches, trigeminal neuralgia and primary stabbing headaches. Some headaches may require further tests including blood tests and an MRI scan.