A migraine is described by the NHS as “a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head”. It is often accompanied by symptoms including “nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound”.

There are different types of migraines, described by the NHS as:

migraine with aura – where there are specific warning signs just before the migraine begins, such as seeing flashing lights
migraine without aura – the most common type, where the migraine occurs without the specific warning signs
migraine aura without headache, also known as silent migraine – where an aura or other migraine symptoms are experienced, but a headache doesn't develop

It is worth noting that people experience migraines in different ways, with some people suffering from them frequently while others go years between experiencing them.

Speaking to the BBC, migraine sufferer Fiona McKenzie, 33 from London, described her experience of the condition as feeling “like someone [is] hitting my brain with an ice pick”, and added that she once experienced 16 “headache days” in a single month.

She also revealed that one employer even threatened to fire her because of her migraine.

“It had a real impact on my work, although I tried hard not to take sick days,” she said.

She added that it was “very hard” when her employer simply told her to “be more resilient”, and said, “It pushed the onus on to me, but it was not something in my control.

“It feels like you're fighting an illness all by yourself… I came home and cried on the sofa because I couldn't magically make myself better.”

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