How do we tell a migraine from an ordinary headache?

What is a migraine?

Migraine is a frequently encountered medical problem and is a neurological condition that causes a throbbing headache, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and heightened sensitivity to sound and light. The symptoms caused by migraine can last from a few hours to several days and, in some cases, their severity can interfere with daily activities. The condition can be inherited and is more common among women; it generally begins in youth.

Most migraines last around 4 hours, but there are people who experience more severe migraines that can extend up to 3 days. Some people may have migraines every few days, while others have them once or twice a year.

Migraines manifest differently in each person, but in most people a migraine occurs in stages.

The stages of a migraine

Prodrome – occurs one or two days before the migraine begins (the onset of the headache) and may manifest as mood changes, neck stiffness, sensitivity to sound or light, tiredness and frequent yawning.

Aura – can occur before or during the migraine, and the main symptoms are often visual, but may include other disturbances. During the aura, people who suffer from migraine experience visual disturbances such as bright spots, blind spots or flashes of light, but weakness or numbness of the face may also occur. Each symptom usually begins gradually, intensifies over a few minutes and can last up to about an hour.

Headache – this is the stage in which the severe, throbbing headache occurs, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to noise or light. The headache caused by a migraine often starts as a dull ache and turns into a throbbing pain. It usually gets worse during physical activity. The pain can move from one side of the head to the other, or can be felt across the whole head.

Postdrome – usually lasts for a day after the headache and the other symptoms previously experienced have eased. Following a migraine attack, people may feel tired, drained, confused or weak.

Factors that can trigger a migraine

Specialists do not know a specific cause of migraine, but they believe the condition is caused by certain changes in the brain that affect nerve signalling, or by a genetic problem.

There are also many factors that can trigger the onset of a migraine:

• bright light or intense heat
• hormonal changes in women, such as those during pregnancy, menstruation or the menopause
• constant exposure to stress
• an unhealthy or unbalanced diet, alcohol consumption
• tiredness, lack of sleep or insomnia
• smoking
• long periods of time spent in front of screens

When should you seek medical advice?

Migraines are often ignored or treated inappropriately, with people trying to reduce the symptoms of this condition based on their own knowledge, without seeking specialist help. Painkillers can be effective in certain cases, but taking them repeatedly can lead to other problems because of the large amount of medication involved. Therefore, when migraines are persistent, consulting a specialist and drawing up an appropriate treatment plan is the most effective way of easing the discomfort.