When does a Headache Become a Migraine?

 

When does a Headache Become a Migraine

Having a headache is very common. But the pains are not all the same, nor do they appear for the same reasons, nor do they stop before the same stimuli. Thus, when headaches recur too frequently or are of an intensity that is difficult to bear, they become a concern.

Headache is a symptom of many diseases, from sinusitis to head trauma, but it may also not be when the headache is the only or main symptom, without damage to the body causing it. It is what specialists usually know as primary headaches, and 90% of headaches are within this group. If you want to purchase an excellent Migraine Treatment Online in the UK, you can buy Zolmitriptan or Sumatriptan Tablets.

Finding the right treatment is important, and for this, you have to know how to differentiate the type of pain that the patient suffers, especially when it comes to migraines. This headache is within the group of primary headaches, and they are not always diagnosed because not all people who suffer them go through the consultation. And it is important for the doctor to analyze the patient and see if he or she suffers from a migraine, since depending on the number of days per month that this pain occurs, the most appropriate preventive treatment will have to be given to reduce the frequency and intensity of these attacks that chronic migraine can seriously interfere with the patient's quality of life, preventing him from leading a normal life. These are the characteristics that differentiate each headache, and they are important because you have to know when to go to the doctor.

Tension headache
It is very difficult to determine exactly the percentage of people who suffer from it, but it is the most common primary headache. There are studies that estimate that 78% of the general population feel the pain it causes, with a peak prevalence in people between 30 and 39 years old. The sensation is localized in the forehead, on both sides of the head, and, sometimes, in the nape and neck. Its onset is slow and gradual, it tends to get worse as the day progresses, and its intensity ranges from light to moderate. The pain of tension headaches is compressive –it is accompanied by pressure on both sides of the head-, the person feels it as if the brain were being squeezed with an elastic band or a helmet was being pressed. There is also some tension in the neck, neck and shoulders since tension headaches are usually caused by muscle contraction of the neck, stress and mental tension.

In these headaches, sometimes it may feel that the light or the very loud voices are unbearable, but never both at the same time (as it happens with migraines), and it cannot be said that it is a discomfort that prevents doing your normal life. It is true that it is an annoying symptom, but it does not cause nausea or vomiting.

There are studies that indicate that tension headache can be hereditary indirect relatives and among monozygotic twins, and it occurs when there are tension and increased sensitivity of the pericranial muscles, which are those around the skull. Sometimes this tension can be caused by poor posture or by episodes of stress, anxiety or other emotional states.

Cluster headache, severe and around one eye:
This type of headache is characterized by being quite intense and very repetitive pain, which is often defined as a suicidal headache. It usually affects men more and usually appears for around 30 years. It is a type of headache that can go away for weeks or months and then suddenly reappear for no apparent reason.

A person who suffers from this type of headache has severe pain that starts quickly and usually around the eye or temple. The crises are usually accompanied by symptoms in the ocular region, generally tearing, drooping of the eyelid, redness, and also in the nasal environment, mainly with congestion or discharge. Another characteristic of this headache is that the pain can appear several times a day and that it almost always does so at the same time.

Why it occurs is still unknown to researchers, although it is thought that the origin may be related to a problem in the hypothalamus, the area of ​​the brain where hormones are produced. The cause would be the sudden release of histamine or serotonin - a neurotransmitter paradoxically related to well-being - substances that are present in neurons, in the area of ​​the trigeminal nerve, located in the face.

Migraine
Although in 1988, the International Headache Society (IHS) developed criteria with which specialists usually work today, it is a disorder that is still largely unknown.

Migraine symptoms include a stabbing pain, which occurs as a heartbeat, lasts between 4 and 72 hours and occurs only on one side of the head, with a moderate to severe intensity. These headaches often cause nausea and vomiting and can be made worse by exposure to light and noise. Migraines, at the same time, can be divided into those with aura and those without.

What is the aura? It is a transient neurological focality, that is, they are reversible sensory alterations that are established and disappear progressively (usually not exceeding 60 minutes). Generally, the patient notices this aura before the headache and its symptoms are usually visual, in the form of light flashes or zigzag lines, but also sensitive, in the form of coughing and tingling, or dysplasia, with impaired language.

It is important to clarify that the predisposition to migraine can be hereditary since several genes have been discovered that favour the brain to activate this pain system. It is a disorder that has no cure, but it can be controlled to achieve a good quality of life, so it is important that it be diagnosed. There are several therapeutic possibilities, such as the use of certain anti-inflammatories, as well as lifestyle guidelines that must be combined with drugs, such as improving sleep quality, avoiding obesity and sedentary lifestyle. It is important for the patient to know that some habits, such as stress, fasting, hormonal changes, eating certain foods, such as chocolate or cheese, help a crisis to flare up (although each factor will be different for each person).