Is it a headache or a migraine? Find out now!

Have you started taking your headache seriously? It could be a migraine. Or not. Read to find out more.

By: Anusha Iyengar | | Updated: August 28, 2015 4:40 pm

Most people out there think a migraine is just a severe headache. A migraine is much more complex than a headache. In any case, ignoring headaches is something that you should completely avoid doing. Seek professional help before the situation worsens. Dr. K. Ravishankar, a specialist in headache medicine, affiliated with Jaslok hospital and Lilavati hospital, helps you figure out the difference between the two and why you should consult a doctor for a headache. Here are top 10 common triggers for migraine. Also Read - Do you get frequent headaches? Up your magnesium intake

Also Read - Yoga poses for migraine: How to get relief from that pounding pain

Migraine v/s Severe headache Also Read - Get Rid of your frequent headache: Banish these 5 foods from your diet

A migraine comes with a lot of accompaniments like inability to function, intolerance to light and the sun, some have visual aura, some even experience vomiting and stomach upset. A migraine can go up to 72 hours, and once it is over, the patient feels drained. It’s a genetically inherited disorder. If both your parents or even one of them have a migraine, there are high chances that you may have it too. In very rare cases, you might get a migraine even if it doesn’t run in the family. Sometimes, people suffering from vertigo can also get a migraine.

A severe headache can occur due to many reasons like stress, muscle spasms, sinus or internal abnormalities. It can also be referred to as a tension headache. Though you can get rid of it with medicines, or some people even have coffee to get rid of a headache unlike in a migraine. Read: How to get rid of a headache in 60 seconds.

The myths around a migraine

Migraine is a highly misunderstood disease which is not given much importance. Here are few myths and facts about migraine that you must know.

It happens due to psychological factors like stress and depression

A migraine is a neurological disease and has nothing to do with psychological factors like stress and depression.

It is just a bad headache

It is much more than just a bad headache. The symptoms of a migraine and that of a bad headache are very different.

Any doctor can recognise and treat it

You must go to a headache specialist if frequent headaches or migraine attacks are bothering you. A normal physician might not be able to help you as a specialist can.

You have to live with it

Consulting the right doctor and following all the instructions and medications will certainly help you deal with a migraine. Unfortunately, there are no medicines that can completely cure migraine but consulting a specialist can definitely help you control it.

Only women get migraines

Migraines are more common in women than in men, but men do suffer from it too. According to the World Health Organization[1], a migraine is up to 3 times more common in women than in men.

What precautions can you take

A headache, mild or severe, can be prevented if you follow a healthy lifestyle even though your schedule is pretty fast-paced and hectic. Here are some tips that you can follow to avoid headaches. Here are 5 ways to fight migraine.

1. Have your meals on time. Not eating on time can cause acidity in some people which further results in a severe headache.

2. Try and avoid the sun whenever you can. Being outdoors in the scorching afternoon heat can give you really bad headaches.

3. Watch what you are eating. Chinese foods, fermented food products, cheese, chocolates, etc. can give you headaches. Have them in right proportion. Do not eat all of it at once.

4. If your headache is very frequent for 4 to 6 months, consult a doctor immediately. It can be something serious.

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Published : August 28, 2015 4:00 pm | Updated:August 28, 2015 4:40 pm

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