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According to the World Health Organisation, about 40% of the global population (which comes to about 3.1 billion people) were affected by headache disorders in 2021. Among these, migraines are a specific type of headache that can be particularly severe and disabling.

Even though both headache and migraines involve head discomfort, migraines also lead to symptoms like nausea, sensitivity to sound and light, along with visual problems. It is therefore important to understand the difference between headache and migraine to find the proper treatment and manage your symptoms better.

Many people turn to alternative and natural treatments like Ayurveda for migraine relief. Ayurveda offers natural and holistic cures for migraines and headaches. These remedies include herbal medicines, dietary changes and practices like Nasya (nasal therapy) and Shirodhara (oil therapy).

What Are Common Symptoms of a Regular Headache?

When you think of a headache, what comes to mind? For most of us, it is the familiar tension-type headache. This is probably the most common type of headache and it feels like a tight band of pressure around your head. This is not only restricted to the forehead. The pain might spread from the back of the head, around the sides, and even into your neck muscles.

The symptoms of tension type headache are :

• A dull, constant ache on either side of the head.
• Sensitivity around the forehead, neck or scalp.
• Tightness in the forehead or side and back of the head.

These headaches can last anywhere from thirty minutes to even several days. Unlike migraines, tension headaches typically don't involve vomiting or nausea and they don’t become worse with exercise. This means that you might still be able to go through your day with a little discomfort.

How Can You Identify the Triggers of Your Headaches?

When you can clearly identify what triggers your headaches or migraines, you get an advantage in your fight. Both tension headaches and migraines have their own sets of triggers, but there's some overlap, too.

Common Triggers of Tension Headaches

Stress: This is a big trigger. Stress at the office, home or social situations could lead to a tension headache.
Poor Posture: if you spend hours on a computer or looking at your cell phone, this can lead to a headache.
Lack of Sleep: If you don’t get sufficient sleep at night, this can also invite a headache.

Common Triggers for Migraines

Food & Drinks: Certain items like aged cheeses, red wine, processed foods, and foods containing MSG can trigger migraines in some people.
Weather Changes: Barometric pressure variations can also trigger migraines in some people.
Bright Lights/Loud Noises: These can provoke a migraine and can make you sensitive to environments you normally enjoy.

What are the Types of Migraines & Headaches?

Not many people know this but there are actually many kinds of headaches and migraines with different signs. If you want to treat these conditions from the source, it is important to understand their types.

Types of Migraines

Migraine with Aura: Before the actual headache begins, you might experience sensory disturbances called auras which include flashing lights, blind spots, or tingling in your legs or arms.
Migraine without Aura: This is more common. You will not have any sensory or visual signs before the headache, but the migraine is just as painful.
Abdominal Migraine: This type affects children mainly and can lead to abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, usually with no headache.

Kinds of Headaches

Tension Headaches: This is the most common type of headache involving a dull, aching pain across your forehead or the back of your head and neck.
Cluster Headaches: These are more severe and happen in groups ("clusters") for weeks, mostly at the same time of day. The pain is generally sharp and located around or behind one eye.
Sinus Headaches: Often confused with migraines, this type involves sharp pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. With this, you may experience nasal discharge, fever, ear fullness, and face swelling.

What is the Basic Difference Between Headache and Migraine?

At some point, you must have wondered why some headaches feel unbearable compared to others. A simple explanation for this could be that you have a migraine and not a normal headache. Let us see what is the difference between headache and migraine:

Intensity & Nature of Pain

Severe Throbbing Pain: Unlike the dull pain of a normal headache, migraine pain can feel more sharp and pulsating. It is best described as a pounding or throbbing pain.
One-Sided Pain: Regular headaches affect both sides of the head, but a migraine generally impacts just one side.

Other Symptoms

Migraines also lead to a number of extra symptoms you may not experience with a normal headache:

Nausea & Vomiting: It’s not just your head that is affected. Migraines generally cause vomiting and nausea but this does not typically occur with a headache.
Sensitivity to Light and Sound: You might feel the need to lay down in a dim and quiet space during a migraine. This is because light and sound can make migraine pain even worse. This is less common in tension-type headaches.
Aura: This is another characteristic of migraines. Aura can include visual disturbances like flashes of light, zigzag lines or temporary vision loss. Many people also report tingling in the arms or face or trouble talking.

Pro Tip

If you struggle with migraines often, try to keep a migraine diary. Document whenever your migraines happen, what you were doing at that time, everything you ate that day, how long the migraine lasted and also what helped, in case any. This record might be useful for your Ayurvedic doctor when discussing ways to best manage your migraines.

Comparison Table Showing Difference Between Headache and Migraine

This table will make it easier for you to understand the difference between headache and migraine:

Final Thoughts

There are some pains you can ignore, but when it comes to headaches and migraines, your body is asking you to pay attention. Each of these health conditions is unique and understanding the difference between headache and migraine is the key to controlling your pain and keeping those headaches away. Take small steps today, like noticing your triggers or seeking the right treatment, and see the big difference that it can make.

For further details, talk to a certified Jiva doctor now at 0129-4264323.