Supporting people with migraine disease in Aotearoa New Zealand

Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is the only registered migraine charity in New Zealand supporting people living with migraine

Migraine disease is a debilitating neurological condition. An estimated 642,000 people live with migraine in New Zealand. It’s more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and stroke combined, however migraine is misunderstood, under-diagnosed, under-treated and under-researched.

People with migraine living in Aotearoa have limited access to migraine support, specialised care and treatment and migraine-specific medications.

Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand provides a collective voice for people in New Zealand living with this invisible and disabling condition.

Join the Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand support group

Upcoming meetups – Christchurch, Levin and Hamilton

During May and June 2023 we're hosting some in-person meetups. We'd love for you to join us and chat with other people with migraine over a cup of tea or coffee. As always, drinks are on us.

Christchurch

When: Saturday 27 May 2023, 2pm
Where: Ballantynes Downstairs cafe, Cashel Street, Christchurch Central City

Levin

When: Sunday 11 June 2023, 1pm
Where: The George Cafe, Speldhurst Country Estate, 70 Kimberley Road, Levin

Hamilton

When: Sunday 25 June 2023 2pm
Where: Coffee Culture, 70 Boundary Road, Hamilton

If you'd like to attend any of our meetups, please RSVP: suzanne@migrainefoundation.org.nz

Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand Survey 2022

In 2022, we undertook the first online survey of people with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand. We received 579 responses. Following removal of incomplete responses and those unlikely to have migraine, we had 530 responses for analysis.

The aim of the survey was to collect data on chronic migraine, medication overuse, types of medications used, non-medication treatments used, impact of migraine on work, access to and experience of health services, stigma and more.

Analysed by our researcher and epidemiologist, our key insight reports summarise the findings and offer much-needed research and insight into the lived experience of people with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand

Read the key insight reports

Help get Emgality funded in New Zealand

People with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand deserve funded access to preventive medications that are safe and effective.

Help support our application to Pharmac for Emgality funding and raise awareness of the impact migraine has for individuals, whānau and society.

Your voice can make all the difference.

Visit the Emgality advocacy toolkit

Our vision

To minimise the health, economic and social burden of migraine disease in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our mission

To raise awareness of the impact of migraine disease and support people living with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Gepants in New Zealand – an update

May 22nd 2023Gepants are new oral migraine medications specifically developed for migraine. Gepants are a type of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor, targeting the same peptide as the injectableRead more

Getting Emgality from your pharmacy

May 16th 2023You’ve decided to try Emgality (galcanezumab) for migraine prevention, you’ve got your prescription from an obliging doctor and now you have to get the prescription filled from a local pharmacy.Read more

Long-term use of migraine preventive medications

May 3rd 2023There’s very little about managing migraine that’s easy. This is especially true when our migraine attacks become so severe or frequent that they can’t be adequately controlled with acuteRead more

Anti-seizure medications and migraine

April 26th 2023Even though they were developed to treat seizure disorders, anti-seizure medicines are commonly used for migraine prevention. However, they only work about half of the time and they are not easy toRead more

GPs encouraged to become familiar with CGRP medications for migraine

April 11th 2023Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) medications. They’re without doubt this century’s revolution in migraine treatment. Including both injectable monoclonal antibodies (e.g. Emgality) and oralRead more

Celebrating our first birthday

April 5th 2023Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is one year old. And in compliance with the advice that people with migraine receive to moderate their lifestyles, instead of clinking champagne and chowingRead more

It's our first birthday, but you get the presents

April 1st 2023This time one year ago, Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand was officially launched. To celebrate our first birthday, we’re giving away five copies of Dr Katy Munro’s book Managing YourRead more

Acute treatment for migraine attacks

March 15th 2023Migraine is such a common disease, you’d expect all health professionals would know the best treatments and how to manage acute attacks. Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case. Migraine isRead more

Phases of a migraine attack

February 28th 2023We’ve become more familiar with the phrase ‘Migraine is more than just a headache’ but what does that mean, exactly? In one sense, it means that the type of headache experienced during aRead more

A positive response from Pharmac

February 20th 2023On 20 January 2023, we sent Pharmac a letter, signed by all four of New Zealand’s headache specialists, raising concerns about its slow handling of the funding application for erenumab (Aimovig), tRead more

What’s wrong with Will Jordan having 'a migraine'?

February 16th 2023What a week! No sooner did the wrath of Cyclone Gabrielle move away from Aotearoa leaving devastation in its wake, than Kiwis were hit with the news that All Blacks and Crusader Will Jordan will missRead more

Feeling judged or misunderstood by your partner because of migraine

February 14th 2023It’s bad enough living with a chronic neurological condition that causes unpredictable attacks of pain, nausea, fatigue and brain dysfunction for no apparent reason. It’s even worse when the peopRead more

Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is led by volunteers passionate about improving the migraine landscape in Aotearoa

Please donate

Living with migraine disease can be challenging. Those of us with migraine know that it’s more than just a headache. Migraine is a whole body disease that affects everyone differently.

It can feel isolating, yet in New Zealand there are hundreds of thousands of people living with migraine.

Members of the Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand community share their stories about living with migraine and how there’s hope, even when some days it can feel like a struggle.

Read their stories

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Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated is a registered charitable organisation under the Charities Act 2005. Our charity registration number is CC60312.

The information on this website is for informative purposes only. Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is not a medical organisation. Please consult your healthcare professional for specific migraine treatment advice. All quotes featured on the website are real quotes from people in Aotearoa New Zealand living with migraine.

This website contains links to websites operated by third parties. Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is not responsible for the content on these websites and provides links for reference only.