Understanding the Difference Between Migraines and Headaches

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Most patients confuse all headaches with migraine. They cannot differentiate between headaches and migraines because of their similar symptoms. The best brain doctors in Mumbai suggest that timely diagnosis and treatment can help prevent future episodes.

This article will give an insight into the demarcating points between the two and teach you how to identify them correctly.

What is a Headache?

Headaches are pressure and aching sensation on specific areas of the head such as the temples, forehead, or the back of the neck. Its pain intensity ranges from mild to severe, depending on the cause.

Some causes and triggers of headaches are stress, anxiety, eye strain, and muscle tension.

Types of Headaches

  • Cluster Headaches: These are severely painful headaches experienced on the sides of the head and occur in clusters. They are more commonly experienced around the eyes and in the temples. Besides, these cyclic attacks are observed with headache-free phases.
  • Sinus Headaches: Sinus-related troubles such as stuffy nose, congestion, cough, etc., accompany sinus headaches.
  • Brain Structure Headaches: Head or brain injuries and medical conditions may cause headaches. Conditions such as an aneurysm, brain tumor, meningitis, etc., have associated headache episodes. The best brain doctor in Mumbai advises people to get a diagnosis if they experience such pains frequently.
  • Thunderclap Headaches: This headache develops in sixty seconds or less and is intense. They require immediate medical attention and can be a symptom of an underlying fatal condition.

What is a Migraine?

Migraine attacks are severe pain and aching sensations experienced in the head, accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, seeing spots or flashy lights, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises, muscle tension and aches, etc.

Migraine pains mainly affect only one side of the head. However, people may experience it on both sides of the head. They are caused by triggers such as lack of sleep, anxiety, hormonal changes, and others.

Migraines also have a phase of a trigger before beginning where the patient may feel disoriented and numb. Migraines may occur in other parts of the body as well.

Differences Between Migraine and Headaches

  • Intensity of Pain

Migraine attacks are known to cause more severe pain than headaches for a longer duration. Some types of headaches may also have severe pain and can be confused with migraine. However, migraine pains last comparatively longer than headaches.

  • Accompanied Symptoms

Migraines are mostly accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and muscle tension which is not typical for regular headaches.

  • Point of Occurrence

Migraines usually occur on one side of the head. Also, migraines are not limited to the head as the site of occurrence; they may appear in other parts of the body, unlike headaches. Therefore, you must visit any brain doctor or any best neurologist in Mumbai for further consultation.

Conclusion

Identifying and treating headaches or migraines at the right time is extremely important. It is because they could be associated with severe underlying health issues that must be addressed immediately. So, visit the best brain doctor in Mumbai to identify and treat any of these conditions

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