less migraines
more life
Expert Care for Chronic Migraines
My name is Becki, and I am a qualified Advanced Nurse Practitioner (MSc) with over eight years of specialist experience in migraine management. My mission is to help you regain your quality of life through individualized, evidence-based treatment plans.
Having established the Dorset Headache Service alongside consultant expertise, I specialize in the assessment and long-term care of patients living with chronic migraine. I am dedicated to compassionate, high-quality care that reduces frequency and severity, helping you function at your best every day.
Member of the British Association for the Study of Headache • MSc Specializing in Headache Disorders
What is a Migraine?
Migraine is a complex neurological condition impacting over 10 million people in the UK. It is far more than just a headache, often involving debilitating pain, nausea, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound that can disrupt every aspect of daily life.
Keeping a Migraine Diary
A migraine diary can help identify patterns, triggers, and how your symptoms respond to treatment.
Recording the date, symptoms, possible triggers, and medication used can support a more accurate diagnosis and guide a personalised treatment plan.
This can be done simply using notes or a smartphone app, and is a useful tool for monitoring progress over time.
Understanding Migraine & Specialised Care
Migraines can affect much more than just headache pain. It often impacts energy levels, concentration, and emotional wellbeing, with symptoms that can interfere with work, family life, and daily activities.
For many people, the most challenging part is its unpredictability. Attacks can vary in frequency and severity, and symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, brain fog, and sensitivity to light or sound. These may also occur between episodes as the brain recovers.
Although migraine can feel disruptive and isolating, it is a recognised medical condition with effective treatment options available.
The goal of care is not only to reduce the number and severity of attacks, but also to improve day-to-day functioning and restore confidence in living life more fully.
Living with Migraines
The Four Stages of Migraines
A migraine is more than just a headache. It is a neurological event that typically follows a cycle of four distinct phases.
01. Prodrome
The 'pre-headache' phase occurring hours or days before an attack. Symptoms include fatigue, mood changes, neck stiffness, and food cravings.
02. Aura
Affecting about 1 in 3 people, this phase involves sensory disturbances like blind spots, zigzag patterns, or tingling in the face and hands.
03. Headache
The attack phase, characterised by severe throbbing pain, often on one side, or can affect the whole head. It is frequently accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity.
04. Postdrome
The recovery phase often known as a 'migraine hangover'. Even after the pain subsides, patients often feel washed out, irritable, or unable to concentrate for up to 24 hours.