How can you tell the difference between a tension headache and a migraine?

What’s the difference between a tension headache and migraine headache? A tension headache typically feels like a steady ache or discomfort in the head. The pain may be distracting, but not debilitating. On the other hand, a migraine is a severe, throbbing headache.

Can a migraine feel like a sinus headache?

The bottom line. Sinus-related pain — that feels like a headache — and migraine can have very similar symptoms, such as pain in the front of your head and runny or stuffy nose.

What are the four phases of a migraine with aura?

A migraine headache is caused by changes in your nervous system. Migraines may progress through four stages: prodrome, aura, attack and postdrome. Not everyone experiences all the stages.

What are the four stages of a migraine?

The Migraine Research Foundation says that migraine is a neurological disease that affects 39 million people in the U.S. Migraines, which often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood, can progress through four stages: prodrome, aura, attack and post-drome.

What does a sinus migraine feel like?

Sinus headaches are headaches that may feel like an infection in the sinuses (sinusitis). You may feel pressure around your eyes, cheeks and forehead. Perhaps your head throbs. However, many people who assume they have headaches from sinusitis, including many who have received such a diagnosis, actually have migraines.

What does an aura migraine feel like?

Migraine aura symptoms include temporary visual or other disturbances that usually strike before other migraine symptoms — such as intense head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine aura usually occurs within an hour before head pain begins and generally lasts less than 60 minutes.

Can Migraines lead to brain tumor?

While headache is a common symptom among brain tumors patients, often patients with common headache have concerns of being at risk for developing brain tumors. We aimed to disprove that migraine or headache in general is associated with increased risk of developing brain tumors.

What is happening in your brain during a migraine?

But during a migraine, these stimuli feel like an all-out assault. The result: The brain produces an outsize reaction to the trigger, its electrical system (mis)firing on all cylinders. This electrical activity causes a change in blood flow to the brain, which in turn affects the brain’s nerves, causing pain.

How do you stop a migraine?

7 Tips to Ease Migraine Pain

1. Rest in a Quiet, Dark Room. Many people with migraine report sensitivity to light and sound, which can make headaches worse.
2. Apply a Warm or Cold Compress to Your Head or Neck.
3. Hydrate Aggressively.
4. Massage Your Temples.
5. Try Meditating.
6. Smell the Lavender.
7. Prevent Attacks With Exercise.

What is the difference between Sinus pain and a migraine?

Some of the criteria that doctors use to differentiate pain in the sinus region from migraine or other types of headaches include the following: The pain must occur toward the front of your head, in the region of your face, ears, or teeth. There must be documented evidence of either acute or chronic sinusitis, such as through a nasal endoscopy.

How many people think they have a sinus headache?

Another study, called the American Migraine Study II, showed that many people who were diagnosed with migraine thought they had sinus headache. Significantly, there were almost 30,000 study participants—only about 50\% who were diagnosed with migraine knew they had migraine before the study.

What are the symptoms of a migraine headache?

Symptoms of Migraine. Migraine is a condition that results in headaches. You’re more likely to have a migraine headache if: You have moderate to severe throbbing pain that may be worse on one side of your head. The pain gets worse the more physically active you are. Lying down may help.

What are the symptoms of a tension headache?

Tension-type headaches may be associated with tenderness of the muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders. If you have this type of headache, you do not have a change in pain with physical activity, and there are no associated sensitivities to light, sounds, or smells.