HEADACHE - MIGRAINE - NEUROLOGY


About Alexandra Sinclair

Neurologist

PROFESSOR ALEXANDRA SINCLAIR


Headache Specialist

I am a Consultant Neurologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust and Professor of Neurology at the University of Birmingham, providing specialist care for patients with headache disorders in the UK. I am one of the UK’s leading experts in headache, migraine, and intracranial pressure disorders.

With over a decade of consultant‑level experience, I specialise in the diagnosis and management of complex headache and neurological disorders, including migraine (from first diagnosis to complex refractory cases as well as vestibular and hormone related migraine), cluster headache and other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, facial pain, trigeminal neuralgia, and post‑traumatic headache. I am based in Worcestershire and see patients both in person and by video consultation.

I am Chair of the British Association for the Study of Headache, where I lead work on updating national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders. Alongside my clinical practice, my university research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying headache disorders and developing new treatments, particularly in relation to hormones, obesity, and disorders of intracranial pressure. I have an extensive publication record in this field and lead an internationally recognised programme of clinical and translational research at the forefront of advances to improve diagnosis and treatment. My work bridges research and clinical care, with the aim of translating scientific discoveries into better outcomes for patients living with headache disorders.

I understand how profoundly headaches, migraines, and neurological conditions can disrupt every area of a person's life. The pain itself is only part of the picture, the emotional toll, the frustration of recurring episodes, and the exhaustion of treatments that haven't worked can feel relentless. Many of the patients I work with have spent years navigating uncertainty, anxiety, and inadequate relief before finding their way to specialist care.

I support patients at every point in that journey, whether symptoms have only recently appeared or have been a part of life for many years. My approach is grounded in evidence-based medicine, delivered with clear communication and a genuine understanding of what these conditions mean for the individual. I believe that every person deserves not just a diagnosis, but a coherent plan, one that is realistic, personalised, and oriented toward meaningful improvement and a better quality of life.

Qualifications

Memberships

  • Member by Distinction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, UK 2024
  • Professor of Neurology, University of Birmingham, Uk 2019
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK 2018
  • Consultant Neurologist (Registration in Neurology with the GMC) 2012
  • PhD, University of Birmingham, UK 2010
  • Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP), UK, 2003
  • MBChB, University of Birmingham, UK 2000
  • Association of British Neurologists (ABN)
  • British Association for the Study of Headaches (BASH) 
  • British Medical Association (BMA)
  • General Medical Council (GMC): 4703369
  • Member by Distinction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, UK 2024 

Qualifications

  • Member by Distinction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, UK 2024
  • Professor of Neurology, University of Birmingham, Uk 2019
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, UK 2018
  • Consultant Neurologist (Registration in Neurology with the GMC) 2012
  • PhD, University of Birmingham, UK 2010
  • Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP), UK, 2003
  • MBChB, University of Birmingham, UK 2000

Memberships

  • Association of British Neurologists (ABN)
  • British Association for the Study of Headaches (BASH) 
  • British Medical Association (BMA)
  • General Medical Council (GMC): 4703369
  • Member by Distinction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, UK 2024 

Leadership


Professor Alex Sinclair is an internationally recognised neurologist and researcher specialising in headache disorders and neurological conditions. She has published more than 120 peer-reviewed scientific papers in leading medical journals, helping to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of patients worldwide.

Professor Sinclair is Chair of the British Headache Society (BASH), the UK's leading professional organisation for healthcare professionals working in headache medicine. In this role, she provides national leadership to improve standards of headache care, promote education and training, support research, and encourage collaboration between healthcare professionals, researchers and patient organisations. Through BASH, she works to ensure that people living with headache disorders have access to evidence-based, specialist care.

 

Her international expertise has led to her being an advisor to NASA on neurological and neuro-ophthalmological challenges of spaceflight, including Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), and on emerging approaches to protect brain and visual health during long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. 

Professor Sinclair is a highly sought-after international speaker and has been invited to deliver lectures around the world at leading scientific and medical meetings, including the International Headache Society, the European Headache Federation, the European Academy of Neurology, the Association of British Neurologists, the American Headache Society Scottsdale Symposium, the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Spanish Society of Neurology, the Brazilian Congress of Neurology, the Dutch–Belgium Headache Meeting, the Anglo-Dutch Migraine Association Marcia Wilkinson Lecture, and the Aerospace Medicine Association.

Her international leadership experience includes serving on the Board of the International Headache Society, the Board of the European Headache Federation, and the Scientific Committee of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS). She has also contributed to national neuroscience leadership through roles including the Research Committee of the Association of British Neurologists, Deputy Chair of the Association of British Neurologists Headache and Pain Group, the MRC Neurosciences and Mental Health Board, Chair of the Brain Research UK Board, and the Midlands Neuroscience Teaching and Research Fund Board.

Through her clinical work, research and international leadership, Professor Sinclair is committed to translating scientific discoveries into better, more personalised care for people living with headache disorders.

PROFESSOR ALEXANDRA SINCLAIR

In the media

The Guardian

The truth about migraines

BBC Radio 4

Inside health

BBC Unexpected Elements

What causes migraine aura, download and listen from 37 minutes

Clinic Locactions


Spire South Bank Hospital

139 Bath Road,

Worcester,

WR5 3YB

01905 971 354

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation

West Midlands.,

Birmingham,

B15 2GW

Contact

Appointments: 01905 971 354

Kate Norburn - Private secretary

Phone 07703 731 637

Email worcester_neurology@proton.me