Migraine vs. Headache, causes and treatment, it is very necessary to understand the difference between these two. The reason behind is when you feel pressure or pain in your head, then it is difficult to tell whether you are getting headache or a migraine.
Differentiating or understanding between these two can help to get better treatments. It can also help prevent future headaches from occurring in the first place. So, how can you tell the difference between a common headache and a migraine?
Migraine meaning, Migraine vs. Headache
Migraine is a type of headache which is intense or severe. Based on the symptoms one can understand the difference. Symptoms are
Nausea
Pain behind one eye or ear
Pain in the temples
Sensitivity to light and/or sound
Temporary vision loss
Vomiting
Migraine headache pain can be moderate to severe as compare to tension or other headache types. Headaches during migraine can at one side of the head or both sides of the head.
Pain which one is experiencing during migraine is also very different. Pain may be intense. Even though some people run to hospital in case of severity.
Headaches due to migraine are of two types:
Migraine with aura
Migraine without aura
An “aura” refers to sensations a person experiences before they get a migraine. The sensations typically occur anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes before an attack. These sensations are
Feeling less mentally alert
Feeling tingling or numbness in the face or hands
Having an unusual sense of smell, taste, or touch
There are many stimulators for migraine like or migraine causes:
Emotional anxiety
Contraceptives
Alcohol
Hormonal changes
Menopause
Read also: Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Causes, symptoms and relation with obesity
What is a headache? Migraine vs. Headache
Headache is an unpleasant pain in the head that can cause pressure and aching. Pain ranges from mild to severe, and they usually occur on both sides of your head. There are some specific areas for headaches like the forehead, temples, and back of the neck. A headache can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a week. Stimulators for this headache type include
Stress
Muscle strain
Anxiety
Read also: Stress and brain, dangerous effects on body
Types of headache are
Cluster headaches
It is very painful condition that occur on one side of the head and come in clusters. It means one will feel or experience cycles of headache attacks, followed by headache-free periods.
Sinus headaches
This headaches co-occur with sinus infection symptoms like fever, stuffy nose, cough, congestion, and facial pressure.
Chiari headaches
This headache is a type of birth defect known as a Chiari malformation, which causes the skull to push against parts of the brain, often causing pain in the back of the head.
Thunderclap headaches
Thunderclap headache is very severe headache that develops in 60 seconds or less. It could be a symptom of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a serious medical condition that requires immediate medical attention. It may also occur due to stroke, or other injury.
Migraine treatment
There are certain medications which are prescribed by the doctor for treatment like:
Anti-nausea medicines, such as promethazine (Phenergan), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), or prochlorperazine (Compazine)
Mild to moderate pain relievers,
Acetaminophen, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, naproxen sodium, or ibuprofen
triptans, such as almotriptan (Axert), rizatriptan (Maxalt), or sumatriptan (Alsuma, Imitrex, and Zecuity)
Sometime headache become worse when medicines affects in reverse manner. This happen when a person takes migraine headache medications more than 10 days a month.
Prevention tips for migraine
Prevention is often the best treatment for migraine headaches. Examples of preventive methods are:
Avoid food that may cause migraine headache like alcohol and caffeine
Regular intake of prescription medications, such as antidepressants, blood pressure-lowering medicines, or antiepileptic medications
Head ache treatment
Certain medicines helps to treat headache which is due to tension or stress. Medicines include
Acetaminophen
Aspirin
Ibuprofen
Other relaxation therapies include:
Massage
Meditation
Neck stretching
Relaxation exercises
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