What Is The Difference Between A Headache & A Migraine?

Whether you are a man, woman or child if you are constantly suffering from headaches or migraines, it is important for you to learn the difference between the two. Understanding what makes a headache different from a migraine and visa versa is essential for knowing how to treat them individually. Headaches and migraines are different bodily conditions and therefore need to be treated differently and understood in order to do so.

A migraine is a headache which initiates your blood vessels to dilate and constrict. This then releases the pain throughout your head which can last anywhere from 4hours to 72 hours. You may experience anything from mild to severe pain but the length of the pain is what can easily identify it as a migraine versus a headache. Take a look at the list of symptoms below that can aid in identifying a migraine from a headache.

• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred vision
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Pale complexion
• Loss of appetite
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Feeling warm and then cold

A simple headache is not capable of creating these symptoms throughout your body. If you can relate to any combination of these symptoms, you are not merely suffering from an everyday headache.

An everyday headache is often referred to as a tension headache. This type of headache produces tightness in the neck as well as the muscles in the scalp and fascia. These headaches are often caused by lack of sleep or stress. A mere lifestyle change is all that is required to eliminate these tension headaches from your life permanently.

On the other hand migraine headaches deal more with the chemicals within your body, cells and energy production. Changing your lifestyle is often not enough to eliminate migraines from your life, especially if they are as frequent as a few times a month. With many more symptoms associated with migraine headaches than tension headaches it is important to understand that aspirin is not enough to correct this health problem.

By comparing the effects of headaches and migraines you will see that a simple headache, although it does cause a great deal of discomfort does not disrupt your daily activities. On the other side of the spectrum, migraines can be quite debilitating the longer they last and more the severe they become.

If you find that you are experiencing either a headaches or migraines on a regular basis it is time to consult with your physician regarding treatments. Over the counter products may be enough to temporarily heal your headache but if they come and go more than 3-4 times per month than you need to find out why. Migraines on the other hand are more common to be experienced several times a month and more intense forms of treatment need to be considered. Many people today are leaning towards natural vitamins and minerals they more and more studies prove their abilities to heal migraines without side effects.