Prognosis and duration

Migraine is usually an intermittent illness with complete recovery between attacks. It is not life threatening but if attacks occur frequently it can make life miserable. In most cases the attacks occur irregularly and infrequently. Sometimes they can occur at predictable periods of stress and in a small number of cases the attacks become chronic, occurring several times a week if not daily. Cases of this severity would be expected to be under specialist management.

Beyond age 50 years the condition tends to lessen and the condition may resolve.