Bad and That's It: How to Distinguish Migraine from Regular Headache

Migraine is not just a headache that is stronger than usual. It is a separate neurological condition in which the transmission of pain impulses in the brain is disrupted. According to studies, up to 15% of the population suffers from it, with women affected significantly more often than men. The causes are hormonal fluctuations, stress, and peculiarities of nerve regulation. Distinguishing migraine from a regular headache is important not only for comfort — if treated incorrectly, it can become chronic and significantly reduce quality of life.

How Migraine Feels

This type of pain has a characteristic scenario: the attack begins gradually and turns into a pulsating pain, often on one side of the head. Any sound, light, or movement intensifies the discomfort, making it impossible to concentrate on anything.

Many women associate attacks with the menstrual cycle, changes in weather, flights, or stress. Sometimes, migraine appears, on the contrary, when you relax — on weekends or after a stressful week.

Typical Symptoms

• Pain on one side of the head, often behind the eye or in the temple.

• Pulsating, increasing nature of the pain.

• Increased sensitivity to light, sounds, and smells.

• Nausea, sometimes vomiting.

• "Aura" before the attack — flashes, spots, sparks, blurred vision.

• Feeling of weakness and fatigue after the pain ends.

Signs of Regular Headache

Tension headache is the most common type. It is associated with fatigue, stress, and tightness of the neck and shoulder muscles. It can be described as a "band around the head" — uniform pressure, without pulsation and nausea. To alleviate migraine symptoms, silence and darkness are needed. With a regular headache, you can still work, talk, and move normally — just with unpleasant sensations.

Characteristics

• The pain is bilateral, dull, and squeezing.

• No acute reaction to light or sounds.

• No nausea or vomiting.

• Occurs after long work, stress, or lack of sleep;

• Resolves after rest, a walk, sleep, or a simple painkiller.

• Why Migraine Returns

• Migraine is rarely random. It is triggered by certain triggers, and if they are not recognized in time, attacks will recur.

Neurologists recommend keeping a "migraine diary" — recording what happened the day before the attack. Often, the pattern becomes obvious after just a couple of weeks of observation.

• Hormonal fluctuations (especially in the first days of the cycle).

• Chronic stress or its abrupt end ("weekend migraine").

• Disruption of sleep patterns, overexertion, time zone changes.

• Foods containing tyramine — aged cheeses, chocolate, red wine, red meat.

• Excessive consumption of coffee and strong tea.

• Dehydration.

• Strong smells, stuffiness, loud noises, flashing lights.

When to See a Doctor

If the pain returns frequently and disrupts your usual rhythm of life, it is a signal to make an appointment with a neurologist. Modern medications allow not only to relieve an attack but also to prevent new ones from occurring.

The doctor prescribes preventive treatment, adjusts sleep and diet patterns, and selects medications that reduce the frequency of attacks.

• Pain occurs more than twice a month.

• Attacks are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or aura.

• Pain lasts longer than a day and does not go away after painkillers.

• Vision disturbances, facial numbness, or speech difficulties occur.

• The nature of the pain has changed — it has become stronger than before.

• How to Keep Migraine Under Control

• Migraine is not a death sentence. With the right approach, quality of life will not suffer, and the pain may cease. The main thing is to recognize the symptoms in time, not to endure, and not to attribute everything to fatigue.

Migraine triggers are individual; only a qualified doctor can diagnose and prescribe therapy. By avoiding triggering situations, knowing methods to alleviate migraine in the early stages, and taking medications, you will again be able to control your well-being and rhythm of life. The feeling of a clear head that you want to return to will reappear.