Is It a Headache or a Migraine?

If you’re struggling with head pain, you may wonder if what you’re experiencing is “just a headache” or if it’s something more, like a migraine. 

At Modern Migraine MD, our board-certified neurology providers, Risa Ravitz, MD, and Aviva Engel, PA-C want to help you understand the difference.   

We offer comprehensive head pain evaluations and personalized treatment of migraines at our in-person offices throughout Manhattan, New Jersey, Florida, and using virtual therapy in 13 states via HIPAA-compliant telehealth. 

  Take a moment to learn how you can tell if it’s a headache or migraine and the ways our practice can help you find relief. 

The difference between headaches and migraines

Headaches and migraines are both neurological conditions that cause pain in the head, but they have distinct characteristics. 

Headaches can range from mild to severe pain and can be triggered by stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, or even poor posture.

Most headaches fall into two types: tension headaches, which feel like a tight band around your head, and cluster headaches, characterized by severe burning and piercing pain. 

Migraines, on the other hand, are a more intense form of head pain but they aren’t just a severe headache. 

They are a neurological condition with symptoms that can include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and visual disturbances known as aura. Migraines can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with your daily activities.  

Identifying migraines

Many patients at Modern Migraine MD wonder how to tell if what they’re experiencing is a migraine or just a headache. Here are a few key indicators that you’ve got a migraine:

• Migraine pain often pulses or throbs on only one side of the head, while headaches usually involve both sides
  
  
• Migraines are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, or aura
  
  
• Migraines often last much longer than common headaches, sometimes for days
  
  
• Migraines can be triggered by specific factors, like certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, or environmental changes

In addition, migraines develop in four stages, though not every migraine goes through every stage. Recognizing the different stages can help you identify whether you’re experiencing a headache or migraine. 

1. Prodrome or premonitory

The first phase, known as the prodrome, occurs one to two days before the migraine itself. Symptoms can include mood changes, food cravings, neck stiffness, increased thirst and urination, and constipation.

2. Aura

Aura is the second stage and occurs in about 25% of people with migraines and can last from 20 minutes to an hour. Symptoms are often visual disturbances such as seeing shapes, light flashes, or experiencing vision loss, but may involve other senses, including tingling on one side or difficulty speaking.

3. Attack

The attack phase is what most people think of as the migraine itself—the headache, vomiting or nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. This phase can last from 4 to 72 hours if untreated and can make it difficult to perform daily activities.

4. Postdrome

The final stage, known as the postdrome, occurs after the attack. Many people describe feeling drained or washed out, though some report a mild euphoria. 

Symptoms can include fatigue, body aches, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound. This phase can last for about 24 hours.

Because it’s challenging to tell a normal headache and migraine headache apart, and because serious underlying issues, like a tumor, can create similar symptoms, you should never try to diagnose and treat yourself. 

How can a neurologist help ease head pain?

Migraines require a comprehensive approach for effective management. That’s why seeing a medical provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating neurological conditions can be invaluable.   

At Modern Migraine MD, our neurological providers ease head pain using a comprehensive, personalized approach. Beginning with an accurate diagnosis, our team creates a holistic head pain care plan that takes into account the cause of your pain, personal preferences, and lifestyle factors. 

While the nuances of your treatment plan vary depending on what type of headache or migraine you have, our team begins by helping you create a proactive plan with steps you can take to avoid the development of head pain and stay on ahead of it should it arise, including:

• Trigger identification and avoidance
• Dietary changes
• Nutritional supplements
• Improving sleep habits
• Complementary therapies (e.g., yoga; meditation; acupuncture)

• Migraine-specific medicines 
• Botox® injections
• Vagus nerve stimulation
• Radiofrequency ablation
• CGRP monoclonal antibody injections
• Sphenopalatine ganglion block
• Neuromodulation

Headache and migraine treatment is often a process of trial and error, and things can change over time. Your provider works closely with you, making adjustments to your treatment plan as needed to improve your quality of life. 

Learn more about headaches migraines, and how our team can help by scheduling an in-person or virtual consultation at Modern Migraine MD.