There was good news for migraine suffers in late October after a new treatment was finally made available in the UK, writes Sally Dawson.

Although the nasal-spray will only be available on prescription, it is said to provide effective relief within 15 minutes for acute migraine in adults (with or without aura) - much faster than conventional treatments.

Zomig - zolmitriptan - is thought to be particularly effective for women sufferers where their attacks are linked to the menstrual cycle. Up to 14 per cent of women are thought to have their headaches triggered by menses, with up to 33 per cent developing the condition during the onset of puberty.

The drug is not recommended to be taken by patients with high blood pressure.The actual cause of migraine - an extremely debilitating condition - is not yet known, but it is believed to be triggered by a number of factors.

Although Marni Le Roux only suffers around one attack a year, they last for a couple of days at a time. She describes the pain as "so bad, you feel like crying but it would only make the pain worse. None of the pain relief I have taken has been effective and you are so nauseous, just moving makes you throw-up".

Migraine affect 10 per cent of the population and is estimated to cost the UK economy up to £750 million a year in lost working days, yet it is often not taken seriously. Dr Andy Dowson, director of the King's College Headache Service at Kings College Hospital estimates that up to 60 per cent of suffers don't discuss their condition with their GP.

"It has been proven that there is no specific migraine types and sufferers are not, as is sometime suggested, neurotic perfectionist hypochondriacs," the Migraine Action Association says.

The MAA also recommends that sufferers try a new therapy - the Bowen Technique. Gentle, non-invasive and suitable for all age groups, the therapy involves using the fingers and thumbs on precise points around the body to make rolling type movements. Research conducted by the MAA found that 79.5 per cent of volunteers showed a "significant" improvement in their symptoms. Director of the association, Ann Turner, described the findings as a "very encouraging" development.