Illness & Symptoms
How long does a migraine last?
Estimated wait
~2 days
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~1 day
- Average cases~2 days
- Slower casesUp to 3 days
The 4–72 hour figure is for one attack. "Chronic migraine" (headache on 15+ days a month) describes how often attacks happen, not the length of a single one — don't confuse the two.
A single migraine attack typically lasts between about 4 hours and 3 days (72 hours), according to the NHS, if untreated or poorly controlled. Warning symptoms can begin hours to a couple of days before the head pain itself.
More details
How often attacks come back varies enormously from person to person — that frequency is a separate thing from how long each attack lasts.
Sources
Last updated: 4 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.